The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : `Navy to increase its fleet'

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Thursday, Oct 05, 2006
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`Navy to increase its fleet'

Staff Reporter

The Chief of the Naval Staff's two-day farewell visit ends

HONOUR: The Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash reviewing the ceremonial parade on his farewell visit to the city. — Photo: Vipinchandran

KOCHI: Our country's prosperity depends on the seas around it to a great extent and this increases the need for the Navy to be strong and powerful, said the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash on Wednesday.

He was delivering his farewell address at a ceremonial parade held at the Southern Naval Command here. The Admiral, on a two-day farewell visit to the city, reviewed the ceremonial parade.

"The Navy will add a large number of ships, submarines and aircraft and infrastructure will be developed so that by the end of the decade our Navy will be strong and powerful and a force to reckon with. What is significant is that most of these acquisitions will have about 90 per cent indigenous components," he said.

He also spoke on `Networking the Navy,' which will facilitate all naval units to share information.

After laying a wreath at the War Memorial, he arrived for the parade, where he was received by Vice-Admiral Jagjit Singh Bedi, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command.

The Admiral inspected a 50-man Nishan Guard, the Guard of Honour with the President's Colours, and the 36 platoons on parade, commanded by Cdr. P.K. Das, while the Navy Band under B. Sudarshanan, Master Chief 1st class, played the tunes of Anand Lok, By Land and Sea, Rani ka Nishan and Beneath the Waves.

After taking the salute as the platoons marched past the `Quarterdeck,' Admiral Prakash was introduced to the Flag Officers and Commanding Officers of Ships and Establishments here.

In a deviation from the laid-down practice, those on parade raised three Jais for Admiral Arun Prakash, after which the platoons advanced in `Review Order' to the tunes of Aage Badho. The Admiral, accompanied by his wife, Kumkum Prakash, later left for Mumbai by an IAF aircraft from the Naval Airport, INS Garuda.

Also present were Rear Admiral Rajender Singh, Rear Admiral M.P. Muralidharan, officers, sailors and their families.

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