Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Navy to provide training services and support to the School of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology (SNOM) for conduct of various courses related to operational oceanography.
INCOIS director T. Srinivasa Kumar and Directorate of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology, Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy), Commodore A.A. Abhyankar signed the agreement or the services to be provided through the state-of-the-art International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOO) here.
ITCOO, the training arm of INCOIS, was setup in 2013 and was recognised as one of the Regional Training Centres by the Ocean Teacher Global Academy of International Oceanographic Data Exchange to promote capacity development and optimisation of scientific base, technology and information system for operational oceanography.
SNOM is the ‘Centre of Excellence’ in atmospheric sciences recognised by Cochin University of Science and Technology. It is equipped with infrastructure and manpower to impart professional training on meteorology and oceanography to personnel of Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign navies.
The collaboration between the Indian Navy and INCOIS under this agreement will go a long way in furthering professional exchanges and collaboration to create a large pool of trained manpower with core skills in the domain of operational oceanography.
The pact was signed in the presence of director-Naval Operations Data Processing and Analysis Centre, Kochi, Commodore G. Rambabu, ITCOO coordinator-scientist T.V.S. Udaya Bhaskar, SNOM in-charge officer Captain A. Vidyasagar, and other senior officials of both institutions, said a press release.