Footprint of Pak Navy could increase in Persian Gulf

Indian Navy to provide decommissioned submarine INS Vagli for Marina heritage museum

Chennai:

Indian Navy will provide its decommissioned submarine INS Vagli for the maritime heritage museum to be set up at Marina Beach, according to Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra, flag officer commander-in-chief Eastern Naval Command.

The submarine, decommissioned after 36 years of service, is currently docked at the Naval base in Visakhapatnam.

Speaking after Naval Symphonic Band concert at Madras University here on Saturday, which was attended by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Governor K Rosaiah, the vice admiral also said that Indian Navy’s P-8Is would be stationed at INS Rajali, a naval base at Arakonnam, near Chennai. He said the stationing of reconnaissance aircraft in Arakonnam is part of Indian Navy’s expansion in Eastern command.

Renewing the pledge to secure maritime interests, he also highlighted how Indian Navy dealt a decisive blow to Pakistan 41 years ago.

Earlier in the day, while delivering a talk ‘Navies and Nations’, vice-admiral Chopra said the presence of Pakistani Navy in the Persian Gulf may increase with the Chinese developing the Gwadar deep water port in Balochistan.

“With the development of Gwadar port Pakistan will have more access to the Persian Gulf in that area. And to that extent, you could say that the footprint of the Pakistani  Navy could increase in the Persian Gulf,” he said. The vice-admiral also said that Pakistani Navy has maintained very sustained force levels for the last 20-30 years and has modernised with new technology.

He also said that Indian Navy is looking beyond the refurbished aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, which is expected to be delivered by Russia in 2013.

Speaking to reporters after delivering the talk, Chopra said that Indian Navy is already working on long-term projections and is thinking beyond aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.

He said India Navy has a potential to become super power and it required the collective will and the aspirations of people.

He said Indian naval footprint is moving around the areas of India’s interest. He said India has been working with many international networks to address issues like maritime threats and piracy.

He also highlighted the rise of China’s navy in its quest for global power and termed its relations with Indian Navy  as “good.” He said many ships of the Eastern Fleet called on Chinese port Shanghai earlier this year.

He also went through history while highlighting how Asian rulers failed to focus on seas and how countries like Britain, Spain and France dominated the seas as well as the world through its navies. He also highlighted the need for sustained funding of navy.