Panaji, Nov 7 (PTI) Goa Chief Minister and formerDefence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the Indian Navy'sheadquarters should have been in Mumbai, Goa or Visakhapatnam,where there is sea, instead of Delhi.
Parrikar was speaking at a seminar on 'Indian MaritimeEnvironment & Capability Requirement' organised by theConfederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Panaji.
"I have not understood one thing about Navy and whichI have asked every Navy chief that why do you insist onsitting in Delhi, where there is no sea," Parrikar said.
He said that he had always believed that the Navyshould have headquarters somewhere in Mumbai, Goa orVisakhapatnam or any other place, but not in Delhi.
"Because operationally, the coast is the area wherethe Navy operates," he said.
Parrikar praised the Navy for providing the best mealsas compared to the other forces.
"The food is best served by the Navy," Parrikar saidadding that the logic is very simple.
"That is the only entertainment on the boat," hequipped.
"When you go for months together on deep sea voyages,particularly on submarines for 30 days, 60 days. I think ifyou don't give good food, there will be mutiny," he said.
Parrikar said that the Indian Navy should also showconfidence in the country's industry in terms of equipmentmanufacturing.
The former defence minister said that for the IndianNavy what is required actually is determination.
"Equally important is naval officers having confidencein Indian industry and Indian technicians...I found many timesthey were reluctant," he said. PTI RPSNP.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.