The Hindu : National : Fear of neighbours allayed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 26, 2004

National

National

Fear of neighbours allayed

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, APRIL 25. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, has set at rest the fears of neighbouring countries relating to the steady build-up of the Navy.

Addressing presspersons at the Southern Naval Command here today, Admiral Singh said that the Navy was friendly with all neighbouring navies in the Indian Ocean, including Australia.

``We do not beat our breasts saying we are powerful, and they have nothing to worry about.''

However, he stressed that it was a country's sovereign right to build up military capability that it believed it needed. The Indian Navy was exercising that right.

The Navy was evaluating options to extend the lifespan of its ships and on ordering more. "If we were to decommission ships according to their original life, the Navy would shrink from 140 to 120 ships," he said. Then the only way out would be to order more ships.

The Naval Chief said that India was keeping its options open on ordering ships abroad. The shipyards in the country were fully loaded. "If the number of ships being phased out are too many and their replacements are not forthcoming, then we may order."

He said work on the air defence ship (ADS) would begin by the end of the year at the Cochin Shipyard.

While stressing the need for having long-range aircraft for surveillance, the Admiral said that no decision had been taken on the type of aircraft to be acquired. A decision would be taken in two years. However, the Navy had approved the induction of 11 Dornier aircraft for immediate coastal patrol.

He said the Navy was still looking for good surveillance aircraft, as not many were now available. It was evaluating two or three, he said. In the meantime, the Navy would upgrade what it had.

India needed about 200 ships to cope with all its maritime and military needs. The country now had 140 ships, many of which were nearing the decommissioning stage.

The Navy had a major submarine building plan, which, according to him, would replace the existing ones.

Asked if a decision had been taken on acquiring the Akula class nuclear submarines on lease, the Admiral said he would neither confirm nor deny it.

Admiral Singh said that the next two or three years would be very interesting for the Navy. Apart from inducting INS Talwar and the Barak missile, the Navy would start exploiting the UAVs this year, he said.

Next year, the new Naval base at Karwar would be commissioned. The Ezhimala Naval Academy would become functional in the middle of 2006. And by 2008, the Navy would have its new aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov.

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