The first edition of the biannual Naval Commanders Conference began on Monday where the top brass will dwell upon dynamics of the “geostrategic situation in the backdrop of security scenario in the neighbourhood as well as changes emerging due to ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict”.
All Operational and Area Commanders of the Navy are participating in the four-day conference to review major operational, materiel, logistics, human resource development, training and administrative activities.
“The Conference will focus on addressing the contemporary security paradigms while seeking ways to enhance combat capability of the Navy and make operations more effective and efficient. A detailed review of the performance of weapons and sensors, readiness of Naval platforms, ongoing Naval projects — with focus on ways to enhance indigenisation through ‘Make in India’ — will be undertaken by the Commanders,” Navy Spokesperson Cdr. Vivek Madhwal said in a statement. The Conference would also dwell upon dynamics of the geostrategic situation of the region in the backdrop of recent international developments.
The Chiefs of Army and Air Force will also interact with the Naval Commanders to address convergence of the three Services vis-à-vis a common operational environment. They will also discuss avenues of augmenting tri-service synergy and readiness, the Navy said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address the conference and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is also expected to address and interact with the Naval commanders.
Weapon engagement trials
Officials said that the Navy recently carried out weapon engagement and missile firing drills on the Western seaboard. The multiple ordnance on target missions included participation of 15 warships and submarines and a large number of maritime patrol aircraft, integral helicopters, fighter aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, an official said.
The missile firings undertaken in mid-April were focused on validating combat worthiness of various weapon systems deployed on the frontline units, which included the Veer Class, Talwar Class and Brahmaputra Class warships carrying out anti-air engagements against high speed sea-skimming air targets in tactical scenarios.
“In another long range engagement, the Brahmaputra class ship sank the target, a decommissioned naval warship, with precision in a sea skimming profile. An underwater launched missile successfully hit its target at maximum range, proving the lethality and versatility of the Indian submarines,” the official explained.
The Navy is closely monitoring the war in Ukraine, given its dependency for spares and supplies from both Russia and Ukraine.
Outreach missions
The Navy’s operational tasking and engagements have gone up significantly in the last few years in tune with the global focus on the Indo-Pacific. During the pandemic in the last two years, Indian Navy ships have undertaken multiple COVID related outreach missions to provide food and medical aid to littoral nations in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.
The Conference is being conducted in the newly constructed Defence Ministry office complex at Africa Avenue, which was built under Phase-I of the Central Vista project and inaugurated by Prime Minister in September last.
