President’s Fleet Review: Kovind praises Navy’s prompt, effective deployment in Indian Ocean Region

The President’s Fleet Review is conducted once under every president’s tenure. The last was held in 2016 under President Pranab Mukherjee.

“I am pleased to review the readiness of the Indian naval ships, submarines, aircraft and other elements of our maritime power today,” Kovind said. (Twitter/@rashtrapatibhvn)

“A significant portion of our trade and energy needs are met through the oceans. Safety of the seas and of the maritime commons, therefore, remains a critical requirement. The Indian Navy’s constant vigil, prompt response to incidents and untiring efforts have been highly successful in this regard,” President Kovind said.

He stated that the “prompt and effective deployment of the Indian Navy in the times of crisis has underscored India’s vision of being the preferred security partner and first responder in the Indian Ocean Region”.

“I am pleased to review the readiness of the Indian naval ships, submarines, aircraft and other elements of our maritime power today,” he said.

Underscoring the importance of Vishakhapatnam, where the fleet review was held on Monday, Kovind said that its “strategic importance is underlined by the fact that the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy is located here”.

It made a “glorious contribution during the 1971 war” and India had recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. “I recall the heroic action of the Eastern Naval Command in the naval blockade of the then East Pakistan and the sinking of Pakistan’s submarine Ghazi. That was a decisive blow to Pakistan,” he said.

He reiterated the country’s belief in Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) “to focus on cooperative measures for sustainable use of oceans”.

Regarding the Navy’s years-long push to make a large share of its vessels in India, Kovind highlighted that its “becoming increasingly self-reliant and has been at the forefront” of the government’s Make in India initiative.

“I am told that about 70 per cent of the contents of several warships and submarines under construction in various public and private shipyards across the country are indigenous. It is a matter of great pride that India has built nuclear submarines and soon we will have our indigenously built aircraft carrier, Vikrant, joining the service.”

The Navy also engages with a large number of other navies of the world regularly, he said, as part of bilateral and multilateral exercises. “The aim is to enhance interoperability, gain from best practices, develop common understanding and build mutual confidence to address maritime issues,” Kovind said, and conveyed his wishes for the forthcoming multinational naval exercise Milan 2022, in which more than 35 navies from the world are expected to take part starting later this week.

He said that as the supreme commander of the armed forces, “this is a moment of immense satisfaction for me”.