Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta Spells Out Vision 2022

[nitesh]

News coming in that INS Tabar has sunked a pirate sship/boat when they fired towards it

[nitesh]

RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia, India to hold joint naval drills in Jan. 2009

Russia, India to hold joint naval drills in Jan. 2009
14:03 | 20/ 11/ 2008

VLADIVOSTOK, November 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and India will conduct joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean in January next year, a spokesman for Russia's Pacific Fleet said on Thursday.

INDRA is a biennial Russian-Indian exercise aimed at practicing cooperative engagement to enforce maritime law and counter piracy, terrorism, and drug smuggling. It is the fourth such exercise since 2003.

"A task force from the Pacific Fleet, led by the Varyag missile cruiser, will leave Vladivostok in December and set sail for the Indian Ocean to participate in joint drills with the Indian navy," Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said.

He said that the task force will also conduct joint exercises with a task force from Russia's Northern Fleet, led by the Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered missile cruiser, which will arrive in the Indian Ocean after joint drills with the Venezuelan Navy in late November.

"Following the exercises, the Russian warships will pay friendly visits to several ports in India and China," the spokesman said.

Martov also cited Vice Admiral Konstantin Sidenko, commander of the Pacific Fleet, as saying that Russian warships from the fleet will make several long-range training sorties in the South Pacific and Indian oceans in 2009, and participate in a number of exercises involving live-firing drills.

Russia announced last year that its Navy had resumed and would build up a constant presence in different regions of the world's oceans.

[nitesh]

The Hindu : National : ‘Indonesia, India taking steps to thwart littoral threats’

‘Indonesia, India taking steps to thwart littoral threats’

Staff Reporter

Ties between the two countries emerge stronger, says Andi M. Ghalib

Indonesian Navy’s corvette calls at Kochi

Navy’s role to keep Somali pirates at bay lauded

KOCHI: The navies of Indonesia and India are initiating steps to thwart littoral threats arising off the coast of the two countries, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Indonesia in India Lt. Gen (retd.) Andi M. Ghalib said.

He was addressing journalists on board the Indonesian Navy’s freshly-acquired corvette KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda that called at Kochi on Friday. The ship is the third such vessel that was built by the Dutch for the Indonesian Navy and is on its maiden voyage from the Netherlands to Indonesia. It can hunt submarines, aircraft and also counter surface threats.

Lt. Gen. said that the ties between Indonesia and India emerged stronger after they signed a new strategic partnership in 2005. “This was later ratified to include defence cooperation. Four of our Navy officers are being trained at India’s Southern Naval Command, while some Indian defence personnel are trained at our establishments. Indonesia is a regular participant at the MILAN programme hosted by Indian Navy in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.”

He lauded the proactive role being played by the Indian Navy to keep Somali pirates at bay. “It also rushed help to our Aceh region when the tsunami struck.”

He referred to the two countries as ‘cultural superpowers’ and said that Indonesians remain rooted in their culture, though they have adapted themselves to modern technology. On the explosions that rocked Bali some years ago, he said that the government was swift to clamp down on extremists and three of the accused have been exterminated. “We have achieved major success in the war against terror.”

The warship’s Commanding Officer, Cdr. Arianto C. Wibowo spoke of the threat both the countries are facing from pirates, illegal fishing and other activities. “Apart from Malacca Strait, we have to ensure the safety of a vast area of the seas.”

Asked whether Indonesia planned to acquire an aircraft carrier for overseas operations, the Indonesian Defence Attache in India Colonel (Navy) Nugroho Mujianto said that such huge vessels were primarily used for offensive operations far away from a country’s coast. “Indonesia is focused on defensive capabilities.” The acting Consul General of the Indonesian Consulate in Mumbai Dicky Fabrian was present.

[nitesh]

MOSCOW: The delivery of a Russian nuclear submarine to the Indian Navy next year may be delayed by several months because of the accident involving the vessel’s fire safety system, but the deal is still on, Russian defence experts have said.

Sea trials of the Nerpa submarine, to be leased to India, were interrupted when an accidental discharge of poisonous fire-fighting gas killed twenty and injured over 40 people aboard on November 8. Prosecutors have charged a crewmember with tampering with a temperature gauge which allegedly activated automatic fire extinguishers.

A leading Russian expert on weapon systems suggested that the sophisticated submarine control system, Molibden-I, installed on the Nerpa for the first time may have malfunctioned.


“In contrast to earlier versions, Molibden-I is a fully digital system that has not been proven yet on any other submarine. Some kind of a computer glitch cannot be ruled out,” editor of the authoritative Moscow Defence Brief magazine Mikhail Barabanov said.

The expert told The Hindu that the accident could delay the delivery of the Nerpa to the Indian Navy by several months. The submarine was to join the Indian Navy in August 2007, then the induction was rescheduled to August 2009, but that was before the accident.

Modernisation

Repeated delays may be due to a large number of new systems and technologies installed onboard the Nerpa, the latest in a series of Schucka–B or Akula-II (NATO designation) class attack submarines built in Russia. Experts refuted media reports that Russia had decided not to lease the Nerpa to India and keep it for its own Navy. The reports appeared after Chief of the Russian General Staff Nikolai Makarov said the submarine would be inducted in the Russian Navy early next year. Russian officials have consistently denied any plans to sell India a nuclear submarine.

“Induction in the Russian Navy is part of the export procedure,” said Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Centre for Analysis and Technologies, Russia’s leading arms export think tank. “The shipyard hands over a vessel to the Russian Navy, which then delivers it to the navy of the destination country.”

He ruled out the possibility of Russia pulling out of the leasing deal. In the light of the current problems with the Gorshkov aircraft carrier refit for India, cancellation of the submarine deal would deal a crushing blow to defence cooperation, Mr. Pukhov said.

“The acquisition of the Nerpa will give a quantum jump to India’s naval capabilities,” Mr. Barabanov said.
The Hindu : National : Submarine deal with India still on, say Russian defence experts

[nitesh]

The Hindu News Update Service

Antony to dedicate naval technology complex to nation

Kochi (PTI): Defence Minister A K Antony will dedicate the newly established technology complex 'Abhinavam' at the Naval Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) to the nation on November 24.

The Abhinavam technology complex houses an acoustic tank with state-of-the-art facilities for calibration of acoustic transducers, advanced simulation facilities and an ocean data centre besides a number of modern research facilities.

After a brief interaction with officers and staff of NPOL, the Minister will address a meeting organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the laboratory complex.

He will also handover two defence technology spin off products -- the light weight calipers for polio patients and SANJEEVANI -- a life detecting device.

The former uses the composite materials technology developed for the country's missile programme and the latter was the result of advance sonar technology developed by NPOL, Kochi, a release said.

SANJEEVANI is an effective disaster management tool that will be of immense utility during calamities like earthquakes, landslides and building collapses.

The Defence Minister will also lay foundation of the YMCA International Youth centre at Thrikkakara on the same day. On November 26, Antony will lay the foundation stone for Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) Product Support Centre at Kinfra Hi Tech park at nearby Kalamassery.

Antony, who is arriving here on Saturday night, will be addressing the Indian Lawyers Congress here on Sunday morning.

[nitesh]

Building ships made easy - The Financial Express

Building ships made easy

Building modern warships is no easy task. Before the hull is launched into the water, hundreds of technicians take over, working tirelessly for months in installing heavy equipment like engines, electronics, miles of electronic cables and the armoury that adds stealth to the battleship. Involving tonnes of metal, the mammoth exercise is often marred by fatalities arising out of dangerous mishaps.

The Indian Navy is looking at introducing an entirely new concept in order to expedite the entire process. Called modular shipbuilding, the concept is being promoted by UK-based BAE Systems. A high level delegation from the UK-based firm will be visiting India soon to offer such a technology for shipbuilding.

Benefits that the Indian Navy can derive from this concept are two-fold. Firstly, rolling our new ships will become a fast affair. Secondly, safety aspects for the technicians in building new ships will not be compromised.

Typically, modular shipbuilding involves building the ship in huge blocks—typically 300-tonne blocks—in the friendly conditions of a ‘modular workshop,’ inform BAE officials. Once the blocks are ready, they are ferried by a crane to a dry dock where they are assembled into a warship. Indian Navy officials inform that this modular method might be considered to build the next-generation warships.

Till date, the technology associated with modular shipbuilding is still not available in India, though senior naval officers say that a few parts for submarines are manufactured somewhere else and then fitted at the dock. “You can safely assume that this modular shipbuilding is in nascent stage in India,” inform officials.

BAE officials say, “Our shipbuilding facilities are responsible for some of the best and most advanced ships in the world. We are currently building six destroyers for the UK Royal Navy, three ocean patrol vessels for the Royal Navy of Oman and three offshore patrol vessels for the government of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Officials from BVT Surface Fleet, the maritime joint venture between BAE Systems and VT Group, say that the use of prefabricated modular cabins reduce onboard outfitting time and consequently shorten the shipbuilding cycle. In addition, modular construction improves shipbuilding efficiency because it transfers field assembly work to a shop environment.

Modular construction also reduces building costs, because the standardisation of the cabins allows assembly-line methods to be used. It also achieves a consistently higher and more uniform level of finish. The world’s most advanced warship, HMS Daring, built by BVT has completed stage one sea trials and is believed to have performed above expectations.

Senior Indian Navy officers say that modular shipbuilding technology will be welcome here as there are huge space constraints in the country’s docks.

Modular shipbuilding technology helps save time, space and money.

“It also helps save space on the dry docks,saves precious time and helps us in meeting our modernisation plans for the Indian Navy,” they inform.

Many different approaches have been used in the construction of ships. Sometimes a ship must be custom-built to suit the particular requirements of a low-volume trade route with unique cargo characteristics.

On the other hand, there are many instances where a significant number of similar ships are constructed, providing an opportunity to employ procedures which take advantage of repetitive processes. The building of a ship can be divided into seven phases: design, construction planning, work prior to keel laying, ship erection, launching, final outfitting, and sea trials.

Modular ship production begins with hundreds of smaller subassemblies in which piping sections, ventilation ducting, and other shipboard hardware, as well as major machinery items, such as main propulsion equipment, generators, and electrical panels are installed. The pre-outfitted subassemblies are then joined with others to form assemblies which are welded together to form complete hull and superstructure modules.

These giant ship modules, each weighing thousands of tonne, are joined together on land to form the completed ship hull prior to launch. As a result of this early outfittings and modular construction, a ship is more than 70% complete at the time of launch.

Ship launch at Northrop Grumman’s Ship Systems Ingalls, located in Mississippi, is equally innovative. Completed ship hulls are rolled on a rail transfer system, from the construction area to Ingalls’ floating drydock for launch. The drydock is then positioned over a deep-water pit and ballasted down, allowing the ship to float free.

Following the launch, each ship is taken to an outfitting pier for champagne christening, final outfitting, dockside and at-sea pre-delivery testing and onboard crew training.

This system has been technologically upgraded over the years and applied to the construction of multi-mission destroyers, amphibious assault ships and missile destroyers. It is now being applied to the construction of next generation missile destroyers and multi-purpose amphibious assault ships for the US Navy, as well as luxury cruise ships and a variety of offshore marine products.

Ingalls has developed advancedthree-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) and engineering (CAE) systems available in the shipbuilding industry

[nitesh]

News - SP's Naval Forces

[Geromix]

That will go a long way in getting a huge fleet in line with our aspirations of being a dominant player in Indian Ocean as well as being a blue water navy.

[nitesh]

MOSCOW COMES CALLING

When Russian President Dmitry Medvedev comes calling on his maiden official visit to India on December 5, expect a changed, more realistic and sober engagement posture devoid of any arrogance coming from the delegation that he will be leading. For the Russia that had been testing India’s patience for the past two years, especially with regard to Russians demands for re-negotiation of the multi-billion contract for supplying the 44,570-tonne aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, is not the same Russia that exists today. For the past five months, Russia’s problems in both the domestic and foreign fronts have only increased. Consider the following:

· Russia’s five-day limited border conflict with Georgia last August only served to highlight the block obsolescence of the former’s military might and only accelerated NATO’s determination to push further eastwards via Ukraine and Georgia, thereby completing the strategic encirclement of Russia.

· The aftershocks resulting from the global liquidity crunch has seen several Russian financial institutions crash like a pack of cards. The country’s benchmark RTS stock market index dropped by 70% since last May and the Kremlin is now grappling with its worst financial crisis in a decade, helped no less by the falling global crude oil prices, a massively overheated domestic economy, the steadily falling value of the Rouble, and double-digit inflation (13 per cent).

· The Kremlin’s decision to start an aggressive foreign policy has not been accompanied by a corresponding, aggressive foreign trade policy. Instead, its recent decision to decline joining the World Trade Organisation is widely being seen as a serious blunder.

· Growing fears of government interference in business and perpetuation of the system of unaccountable redistribution of national financial resources among private oligarchic empires close to the Kremlin have resulted in foreign institutional financial investors exiting Russia in droves, thereby raising the prospects of a severe downturn and a long-term crisis in the country’s financial sector.

· The quantum of Russian weapons exports to its traditional customers has been steadily decreasing for the past three years, especially when it comes to China, India, Iran and Malaysia. Though alternate markets have been sought and penetrated in Indonesia and Venezuela, the future outlook for Russian weapons exports remains bleak, especially if Russia is seen as an unreliable military-industrial partner that wants to re-negotiate already signed-and-sealed contracts of the type inked for INS Vikramaditya.

· Lastly, both President Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin are widely believed to be advocating solutions from opposite ends and which also seemingly contradict each other. While Medvedev favours widespread economic reforms and feels the need to add more substance to his anti-corruption initiatives, Putin is widely believed to be intolerant of dissent from his junior partner, since any crack in the monolithic system of power could trigger an avalanche of desertions and revelations that would demonstrate that rampant corruption is not a mere defect in his course of expanding state control over the economy, but its core substance. Putin’s approval ratings still remain high, but the social contract of ‘Putinism’, according to which the population enjoys the fruits of petro-prosperity while ignoring the shameless thievery of the ruling elite, is now all set to expire.

The peculiar two-headed form of leadership was designed by the over-confident ‘Tsar Vladimir’ for presiding over a permanent party of distributing tonnes of easy money, but it cannot function anymore in the situation of escalating squabbles between elite clans and gathering social discontent. Cutting President Medvedev down to size may have been easy, but now Putin has to decide how much longer he can postpone the hard tasks of managing rather than explaining away the crisis that has transformed his pet projects into toxic assets.It is against this backdrop that President Medvedev is coming to India and all indications are that a far more realistic appraisal of the future state of bilateral military-industrial cooperation will be visible. While Putin reportedly favours a Euro-centric foreign policy and accords greater priority to re-claiming Russia’s influences in its near-abroad—especially in Central Asia and China (the Kremlin’s recent approval for exporting the Su-35M and Su-33M, both armed with Yakhont supersonic multi-role cruise missiles, has to be seen in this context)—Medvedev, being a technocrat, favours a more broad-based approach that focuses more intensely on South and Southeast Asia, and the African continent. For the Indian Navy, Medvedev is known to favour a mutually beneficial solution to the INS Vikramaditya’s quagmire, under which a far-more amenable and financially viable supplementary contract will be inked between India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Rosoboronexport State Corp to expedite the aircraft carrier’s refit and upgrade. In return, the Russian shipyards will be accorded preferred vendor status for supplying a substantial number of pre-fabricated modules for the two 37,500-tonne Indigenous Aircraft Carriers (IAC), the first of which is now being fabricated at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). Also up for grabs for the Russian shipbuilding industry are two major projects: one, for the co-design and joint fabrication of five guided-missile destroyers under Project 15B (for which the Project 22350 DDG is being offered); and the co-design and joint fabrication of seven guided-missile frigates under Project 17A, for which Moscow is offering the Project 1167 FFG.-- Prasun K. Sengupta

trishulgroup.blogspot.com/2008/12/moscow-comes-calling.html

[Nihat]

I can understand why Russia wants to play hardball - there is widespread corruption inRussia which eats up a lot fo money , the financial crisis has had a major impact on Economy and the fact that 2 of the biggest Arms purchasers in China and India are going or at least looking to go independant .

China already has it's own aircrafts , subs , helis , Delivery systems - It hardly needs much from Russia , which leaves india as thier biggest customer.

However with plans to build indigenous aircrafts , A/c carrier , Delivery systems , ATV taking some sort of shape , Russia is clearly getting nervous , it wants the maximum of of the existing deals.

[nitesh]

^^

The Gorshakov deal was never a single deal it was a package deal. So which portion exactly increasing how much price will not be known to us. Let's see how it goes. And regarding China not needing much, well there planes are still powered with russian engines. Although there percentage of indigenous products is increasing but they are dependent on russia for near future in some crucial sectors.

[nitesh]

Deccan Herald - Navy to have own satellite next year

Navy to have own satellite next year

From: Kalyan Ray, DH News Service, New Delhi:

Does anybody have any idea on what is happening with Navys own dedicated satellite, on which the force is working since the last five years?


On Tuesday, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said that orders have been placed with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the satellite is expected within a year-and-half.

The ISRO, however, has denied receiving any order. “The Navy may be thinking to have its own satellite. But we have not received any order from the navy,” ISRO spokesperson S Sateesh told Deccan Herald on Sunday.

Expected to boost Navy’s blue water capabilities, the satellite is a communication platform which will provide the vessels on the sea a secure way of interacting with each other and with shore-based installations.

“We have placed the order with Indian Space Research Organisation. It will be ready in a year and half,” Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said. His predecessor Admiral Arun Prakash admitted working closely with ISRO on the proposed satellite.

Other navy officials stated that technical specifications and financial package have been worked out. The Cabinet Committee on Security is believed to have earmarked Rs 400 crores for the naval satellite in 2005.

In 2005, then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee stated in the Parliament that India was building up a satellite-based military surveillance and reconnaissance system that will become operational by 2007, allowing it to keep watch on developments in its area. The system was to be operational by 2005, but he stated validation of technologies had taken more time than anticipated.

While Admiral Mehta was quite categorical about the naval satellite, Mr Sateesh said all of ISRO’s future satellites – approved by the government – have been listed in ISRO annual report and there was no mention of any naval platform.

But it’s also possible that ISRO may like to keep the project under the wraps as the space agency is trying its best to project its demilitarised face to the world to ward of any possible US pressure. Most of the US sanctions, put after Pokhran-II, are still in place.

In 2001, ISRO launched its first spy satellite, TES, almost silently. The satellite provided valuable images on the security scenario close to Pakistan border and Afghanistan.

The new bunch of mapping satellites – Cartosat-1 & 2 – are meant for civilian use but can be exploited for military applications and can provide clear images.

[nitesh]

Russian missile cruiser to join wargames with Indian navy-India-The Times of India

Russian missile cruiser to join wargames with Indian navy
9 Dec 2008, 1505 hrs IST, PTI


MOSCOW: Russia's most potent nuclear-powered heavy missile cruiser sets out on a voyage to India from here on Tuesday to participate in joint naval wargames with the Indian Navy in January next year.

"Pyotr Veliky" (Peter-the-Great), known as the 'Killer of Aircraft Carriers' will be in warmer waters of the Indian Ocean for large-scale exercises with the Navy, during which they will train on how to destruct aircraft carriers.

"In accordance with an order issued by Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, a naval squadron consisting of the large anti-submarine ship will head to the Indian Ocean, where the Northern Fleet of Russia will take part in joint Indo-Russian exercise 'Indra-2009', Itar-Tass news agency reported quoting an official.

The programme for the exercise provides for a joint drill of tasks to protect navigation, fight sea piracy and terrorist actions and hold artillery and missile firing practice.

This is the fourth such exercise since 2003 under the inter-services cooperation agreement between the two countries. New Delhi and Moscow held complex wargames in the Sea of Japan last year.

Although combating piracy and terrorists on the high seas have been declared the main aim of the INDRA-series naval wargames, in the first such exercise the Russian and Indian navies had practised in the destruction of an 'enemy' aircraft carrier and anti-submarine warfare had been an indispensable part of the joint drills conducted every alternate year.

[nitesh]

The Hindu News Update Service

Marcos - bravehearts who rescued Mumbai's hostages

New Delhi (IANS): They were the least known of the special forces commandos who were pressed into an anti-terrorist operation in Mumbai. But the 25-odd elite fighters of the Marcos - acronym for marine commandos - grabbed the national and international spotlight with their all-black overalls and faces masked by black cloth.

Dubbed the "bearded forces" because of the beards that the men sported and toting AK-47 assault rifles, Indian Navy's marine commandos follow in letter and spirit the adage of the counter-terrorism doctrine: Fight a militant like a militant.

Marcos, who are trained in executing covert operations, were called in along with the National Security Guard and Army commandos take on armed militants who were holding scores of people hostage inside two luxury hotels since Wednesday night. The militants had struck in at least 10 places in Mumbai, killing 125 people and injuring 327 people.

Two Marcos received injuries during "Operation Tornado" launched to flush out terrorists at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel. Their operation continued till Friday.

"Trained sky divers and sea divers, the Marcos could sabotage enemy vessels and harbour installations. They can operate in beaches, coastal, jungles and ravines areas. Being divers, they can reach hostile shores swimming underwater," a senior Navy official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Officially known as the Indian Marine Special Force, the unit was raised in 1987 out of the Naval divers to lead amphibious operations. The personnel volunteering for the force have to undergo a rigorous two-year training, by the end of which only 10-25 percent of the enrolled commandos remain.

Marcos have been active in Jammu and Kashmir as part of the Army's counter-terrorist efforts. Their main task is to control the infiltration of terrorists from across the border into Jammu and Kashmir through the Jhelum river and Wullar, a 65 square kilometer freshwater lake. Some Marcos personnel are also attached with the Army special forces units conducting counter-terrorism operations in the area.

They operate similar to the Israeli Mistaravim units sporting beards and wearing the 'pheren' (Kashmiri suit), thus making them indistinguishable from the locals, the official added.

Marcos have gained a fearsome reputation among terrorists who refer to them as the 'Dadiwali Fauj' (Bearded Army) since they are the only non-Sikh personnel allowed to grow beards, 'Jal Murgi' (Water Hens) for the speed, in which they carry out assault from the water and 'Magarmachh' (Crocodiles) for their amphibious capability.

Recently, the elite force earned accolades for the Indian Navy after they repulsed pirates attacks off the Somali coast on an Indian and a Saudi merchant vessel on November 11. In April 1986, the Indian Navy mooted a plan for a special force, which would be able to conduct reconnaissance, raids and even counter-terrorist operations in a maritime environment.

Three Naval officers were sent for training with the US Navy SEALS and further training was conducted with British Special Forces. These three Naval officers formed the nucleus of the Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) that was formally raised in February 1987.

The strength of the unit is a closely guarded secret. However, sources say the number could be close to 2,000 personnel. Currently, there are three main groups attached to the three Naval commands - Mumbai (West), Cochin (South) and Vizag (East).

The unit's quick rise has changed its role - it was intended to be dedicated to special maritime operations, but a considerable part of Marcos is doubling up as marine infantry with the usual flexibility of commando forces.

[nitesh]

The New Indian Express - No. 1 site for South India News, Breaking News, Cinema, Business naval air station soon, says Vice-Admiral

Uchipuli naval air station soon, says Vice-Admiral


Express News Service
First Published : 12 Dec 2008 04:02:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 13 Dec 2008 11:46:52 AM IST

RAMANATHAPURAM: The air base of the Indian Navy at Uchipuli will be developed into a full-fledged air station with adequate facilities for monitoring Indian waters, N K Varma, Vice-Admiral, Eastern Naval Command, said at Rameswaram on Thursday.

Varma, who was on a routine inspection of the naval detachment here, told mediapersons that even though there was no threat from LTTE, it was imperative that Indian Navy strengthen its surveillance of the Indian sea. In order to facilitate such surveillance, the Uchipuli air base should be developed. At present the air surveillance is being undertaken from Chennai, he said.

When asked if he thought that the fibreglass boats found in Rameswaram coast may have been carried here by the cyclone from Sri Lanka, Varma said that it was hardly possible as the engines were missing from the boats. The State Government had ordered in-depth investigations into this issue and all details would be revealed soon, Varma added.

He said there were 400 fish landing centres in the State which the fishermen were using in groups. The navy has decided to utilise their service to inform the authorities if they notice any unauthorised craft in the Indian marine territory.

The Centre has decided to produce indigenous air craft carriers for the Indian navy to strengthen the coastal security.

“We will deliver whatever the government expects from us,” he said.

He further said that the international community should chalk out strategies to wipe out the Somalian pirates who have made the sea lanes risky for ships.

Philip Van Haltron, Naval Commodore, Tamil Nadu, Madhusoodhanan, Indian Naval Captain at Vishakapattinam, Shinde, Naval commander, Rameswaram Naval detachment, and other naval officials accompanied the Vice-Admiral. Earlier, he inspected the naval craft anchored at the International Maritime Boundary Limit.

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