NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy on Tuesday commissioned its second P-8I aircraft squadron in Goa in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. INAS 316 has been christened 'Condors', one of the largest flying land birds in the world.
Addressing the gathering at INS Hansa, Admiral Kumar said India is the "preferred security partner" in the Indian Ocean Region, which reflects the country's ability to play an effective strategic role in the region, and need to expand its operational reach.
"The Indian Navy is integral to this commitment and in pursuance of this objective, commissioning of INAS 316 marks yet another milestone towards enhancing maritime security and surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region," the navy chief said.
INAS 316 will operate the Boeing P-8I, a multi-role Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare (LRMR ASW) aircraft. The squadron has been commissioned to be the home for the four new P-8I aircraft procured from the US.