NEW DELHI: Acknowledging the high operational tempo maintained by the Navy in its overseas deployment, defence minister Nirmla Sitharaman took note of the critical capability shortfall of the navy, which the maritime force is facing in its various platforms.
Sitharaman was addressing top naval commanders in the national capital.
"The Defence minister took note of the critical capability shortfalls that the Navy is facing in ship-borne multi-role helicopters, conventional submarines and mine counter measure vessels, which need urgent redressal to maintain the combat edge of the Navy. She assured the Commanders’ that these issues were being given due impetus and efforts were in hand to mitigate these shortcomings at the earliest,” the Navy said in a statement.
Sitharaman also acknowledged the “high operational tempo” maintained by the Navy in the last one year through regular deployment of ships, submarines and aircraft from the South China Sea and Sea of Japan in the East to the Persian Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean in the West and the shores of Australia in the South including the focused efforts to deter piracy attempts off the Gulf of Aden, the statement said.
The Navy has recently validated a new mission based deployment concept to maintain round the clock surveillance of critical choke points and sea lances of communication in the Indian Ocean Region in the backdrop of increased Chinese presence in the IOR.
She also commended the efforts of the Navy to constructively engage with the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) littorals to build their capacities and enhance their capabilities. She also mentioned the initiatives taken by the Indian Navy to impart practical training for naval personnel from IOR littoral nations on a regular basis.
The four-day long Naval Commanders’ Conference is in its third day of deliberations wherein the top-level leadership of Navy is reviewing major operational, training and administrative activities undertaken in the last six months. The conference also reviewed IN’s readiness to deploy over the entire range of missions in the maritime domain (the new Mission-based Deployment Concept).