Antony wants navy to ‘optimally operate’ assets

Three months after INS Sindhurakshak blew up and sank at a Mumbai harbour killing all 18 men on board, defence minister AK Antony on Wednesday asked the navy to “optimally operate” the country’s assets and ensure these were not “frittered away.”

Three months after INS Sindhurakshak blew up and sank at a Mumbai harbour killing all 18 men on board, defence minister AK Antony on Wednesday asked the navy to “optimally operate” the country’s assets and ensure these were not “frittered away.”

Addressing the navy’s top commanders, he asked the force to “draw lessons for future” from the sinking on India’s Russian-built submarine, Sindhurakshak — the navy’s worst peacetime tragedy. Even as the navy struggles to salvage the submarine, the defence minister said it was the responsibility of the navy to optimally operate such national assets and train its men suitably so that the country’s resources were not frittered away.

Describing the loss of 18 crew members on board the submarine as “an unprecedented tragedy”, Antony asked the navy to seriously reflect upon the incident.

“It must be ensured that safety mechanisms are accorded topmost priority and standard operating procedures are adhered to strictly,” he said.