Tag: navy

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Navy’s Training Squadron makes historic visit to Lanka

SNC is the Training Command of the Indian Navy which conducts the entire range of naval training for officers and sailors, including those from friendly foreign countries…reports Asian Lite News.

A fleet of largest number of Indian naval ships arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday marking a historic bilateral relation between the two South Asian neighbours.

Sri Lanka Navy stated that six ships of the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron with more than 750 Indian Naval personnel arrived at Ports of Colombo and Trincomalee for a bilateral naval exercise with Sri Lanka Navy.

The First Training Squadron which comprises six ships including two sail ships is a part of Indian Navy’s prestigious Southern Naval Command (SNC). Ships from the First Training Squadron had last visited Sri Lanka in 2015.

SNC is the Training Command of the Indian Navy which conducts the entire range of naval training for officers and sailors, including those from friendly foreign countries. As one of the finest destinations for training, Indian Navy has trained more than 11,000 international trainees from over 40 countries in the last four decades, Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.

The Southern Naval Command is headed by Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM, ADC who is also arrived in Sri Lanka on a four-day official visit from October 24-28.

The Admiral is to meet the senior leadership in Sri Lanka and to visit Colombo, Trincomalee and Galle where there are major Naval bases of Sri Lanka Navy. During the visit interaction with key Area Headquarters is planned in addition to visit at Naval and Maritime Academy at Trincomalee, High Commission stated.

Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Shardul’ and ‘Magar’ arrived at the Colombo harbour while INS ‘Sujata’, ‘Sudarshini’, ‘Tarangini’ and Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Vikram’ called at the North Eastern port of Trincomalee. These ships are helmed by Capt. Aftab Ahmed Khan, Senior Officer of the First Training Squadron.

The massive crew of all six ships include 75 officers, 153 officer cadets, 10 NCC cadets and 530 sailors. During their stay, a series of professional, training, cultural and sports interactions are scheduled between the ships’ crew and Sri Lanka Navy personnel. The ships would depart on October 28.

“The crew members of the Indian Navy’s Training Squadron are also expected to visit tourist attractions in Sri Lanka in conformity with the bio-bubble concept,” Sri Lanka Navy said.

Sri Lanka Navy will conduct several training exercises with the visiting Training Squadron of the Indian Navy in Colombo and Trincomalee and these exercises will be held adhering to Covid-19 protocols, the Navy added.

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India needs strong navy for national development, says Rajnath

He urged Indian Navy to maintain the momentum achieved thus far and assured that the steps taken by the government will give it more strength to increase the lethal strike capability…reports Asian Lite News.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday stressed on the need to have a strong Navy due to the country’s increasing dependence on the seas for national development, and for proactive engagement with the world.

Speaking on the last day of the four-day (October 18-21) Naval Commanders’ Conference, he praised Indian Navy to have lived up to expectations of the nation by establishing a visible, credible and responsive presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

He also complimented Indian Navy for providing medical aid to South West Indian Ocean Region countries, as part of Mission SAGAR which is in lines with PM Narendra Modi’s clarion call for Security And Growth for All in the Region; undertaking various HADR Operations in the wake of natural calamities; and providing succour to civil populace during the second wave of COVID-19.

The Defence Minister highlighted that Indian Navy has spent more than two-thirds of the Modernisation Budget in the last five years towards indigenous procurement and out of 41 ships and submarines ordered by the Navy, 39 are from Indian shipyards, which is a testament to the Navy’s commitment to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

He urged Indian Navy to maintain the momentum achieved thus far and assured that the steps taken by the government will give it more strength to increase the lethal strike capability.

Rajnath Singh emphasized that P75(I) project would be one of the largest ‘Make in India’ projects and complemented Indian Navy on the successful maiden Sea Trials of the indigenously designed and built Aircraft Carrier ‘Vikrant’ by overcoming challenges, including COVID related imponderables.

The Defence Minister also highlighted training as an effective tool in bolstering naval diplomacy and commended the Indian Navy in providing training to foreign personnel in India for more than four decades.

Further, in keeping with the evolving technological transformation world over in unmanned systems, an Integrated Unmanned Roadmap for Indian Navy was also promulgated by the Defence Minister during the conference. (India News Network)

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Navy holds exercises in the Red Sea, not far from the Suez Canal

INS Tabar is on an overseas deployment to Europe and Africa. Apart from Sudan, it has also conducted naval exercises with the Egyptian navy in the Mediterranean…reports Sankalp Gurjar.

On September 10, the Indian navy carried out a maritime partnership exercise with the Sudanese navy in the Red Sea. Despite building a strong energy partnership in the 2000s, it was the first time that Indian and Sudanese navies conducted such an exercise. From the Indian side, INS Tabar participated in the exercise along with the Sudanese ships Almazz and Nimar.

The exercise included ‘multiple activities covering a wide range of naval operations’ such as ‘co-ordinated manoeuvring, replenishment at sea [RAS] drills, helo operations, operations for interdicting suspect vessels at sea and communication procedures.’ The exercise ‘enhanced interoperability between the two navies significantly and widened the scope for combined operations against common maritime threats in future.’

INS Tabar is on an overseas deployment to Europe and Africa. Apart from Sudan, it has also conducted naval exercises with the Egyptian navy in the Mediterranean. Egypt and Sudan are important players in the geopolitics of the Red Sea and due to their proximity with the Suez Canal, are located along one of the most important maritime routes. Therefore, both of these exercises are of significant strategic import and point towards the expanding maritime horizons of the Indian navy.

Red Sea Geopolitics

The Red Sea links West Asia with Africa and is a critical geopolitical space where the rivalries between the Gulf powers are being played out. The Red Sea also links the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean through the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb and Suez Canal. Large quantities of oil and trade pass through the Red Sea. It is a critical waterway for global energy security and the international economy. The recent blockage of the Suez Canal underscored the strategically important role of the Red Sea and Suez Canal for the global economy.

In the last few years, the Red Sea has emerged as a critical sub-theatre in the evolving geopolitics of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Foreign powers have established their military presence in the region and are taking a greater interest in the affairs of the maritime as well as continental space in and around the Red Sea. Russia, China, the United States (US), France, and Japan hold military facilities in the region. Even the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are active in shaping the trajectory of regional geopolitics and security.

In fact, the presence of security threats such as terrorism and maritime piracy brought foreign powers to the region. US established its expansive network of bases in the WIO and Africa including at Djibouti after launching the Global War on Terror. Maritime piracy in the Gulf of Aden around 2007-08 was threatening global shipping and Somalia was unable to contain pirates operating out of its territorial waters. Therefore, a multinational maritime security effort was launched. The navies of major powers including Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea sent their warships to the region to participate in the anti-piracy operations.

Indian Naval Presence

The Indian navy too played a key role in the counter-piracy operations. India is a resident naval power with a willingness and desire to contribute towards the maintenance of regional security in the Indian Ocean including in the sub-theater of the Northwest Indian Ocean. Over the years, India has managed to regularize its maritime presence in the Gulf of Aden and Southwest Indian Ocean. Time and again, India has extended much-needed humanitarian assistance to the littoral states in the region. India has also positioned itself as the ‘preferred security partner’ in the region.

Indian navy is uniquely placed in the regional geopolitics of the Northwest Indian Ocean. It enjoys close relationship with the US, Japan, and France, and consequently, the Indian navy ships can access their naval bases in Djibouti. Russia’s upcoming naval base at Port Sudan also opens up opportunities for greater collaboration between Indian and Russian navies in the Red Sea and WIO.

Pic credits @indiannavy

India’s deepening strategic partnership with UAE could be strengthened further in the domain of maritime security in the context of the geopolitics of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. India and Taiwan share an interest in containing Chinese power. The Taiwanese presence in Somaliland and UAE’s facilities along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden including Berbera could be leveraged for keeping a close watch on the Chinese activities in the region.

The entire region lying between the Suez Canal and Japan is seeing an expanding Indian maritime footprint. The growing interest in the region is demonstrated by regularly deploying warships for conducting naval exercises with friendly countries and for carrying out defence diplomacy. As a result, the Indian navy is indicating that Western Pacific and the Red Sea are emerging as integral parts of its strategic dynamics. The naval exercises with Egyptian and Sudanese navies demonstrate the expanding strategic maritime horizons and underscore the growing salience of the Red Sea in India’s security matrix.

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-Top News China

China covers up military mishaps to hide its naval incapability

The communist regime has rarely been transparent especially in disclosing military accidents…reports Asian Lite News

China has been adept at hiding military mishaps, involving fighter jet crashes and submarines as the regime not disposed to transparency attempts to hide its incapability in the naval domain.

The communist regime has rarely been transparent especially in disclosing military accidents with Beijing rarely acknowledging submarine accidents publically and almost never releasing results of its investigations into jet crashes, American magazine The National Interest reported on Tuesday.

In April 2003, a Chinese fishing boat’s crew found an unusual sight, a periscope drifting listlessly above the surface of the water. They immediately informed China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which sent two vessels to investigate.

Initially, the Chinese navy thought that it was an intruding submarine either from South Korea or from Japan. But as they found an apparent derelict, the Chinese navy understood it was one of their submarines, the Ming-class 361.

Nearly 70 Chinese personnel were found dead inside the submarine on April 26.

Later in May, former president and military commissioner Jiang Zemin acknowledged the tragic incident. He clarified that the incident was a result of a mechanical failure.

After a month, a commission led by the then-president Jiang Zemin dismissed the commissar of the North Sea Fleet. The commission also demoted or dismissed six or eight more officers for improper command and control.

It has been known worldwide that China always hides its military accidents. So experts speculated that Beijing’s acknowledgment of the 2003 submarine incident was an attempt to downplay the SARS epidemic.

The 361 entered services in 1995 and its three sister ships numbered 359 through 362 formed the North Sea Fleet’s 12th Submarine Brigade. The 361 was deployed on a naval exercise in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea gulf east of Beijing and Tianjing, reported the National Interest.

The last log of the vessel dated April 16 said that the submarine was practicing silent running while off the Changshang island, heading back to a base in Weihai, Shandong Province. A senior naval officer Commodore Cheng Fuming was also aboard.

The vessel went missing and was untracked by the Chinese navy for at least 10 days as the 361 was maintaining the radio silence.

However, it remains unclear that how did the PLAN recover the submarine.

Reports had suggested that the submarine was submerged but it had probably surfaced as it was quickly towed back to the port.

The communist regime never released clear details of the accidents which have given space to various theories.

According to The National Interest, the 361 submarine is a Type 035 submarine that has the capacity of nearly 50-55 personals. But the 361 had 70 personnel on board. The government claimed that these were trainers, however, the presence of a high-ranking naval officer and additional personnel onboard raises speculation that the submarine was not on a routine mission.

Poor standard of maintenance, cheap manufacturing and poor crew training result in such leather accidents as happened in China in 2003. (ANI)

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INS Tabar reaches Algeria, undertakes Passex exercise at sea

Pic credits @indiannavy

The Mediterranean exercise was aimed at maritime law enforcement, regional security and project long range sustenance….reports Asian Lite News

As part of its deployment in Europe and Africa, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tabar undertook a PASSEX exercise with Algerian Naval Ship (ANS) Ezzadjer after arriving in Algeria on Sunday.

The Mediterranean exercise was aimed at maritime law enforcement, regional security and project long range sustenance.

The Indian Embassy in Algeria had earlier announced INS Tabar’s arrival.

Pic credits @indiannavy

“Marhaban Algeria! Indian Navy frigate INS Tabar arrives in Algeria with a message of friendship and goodwill! INS Tabar is undertaking a PASSEX with ANS Ezzadjer,” it said in a tweet on Sunday.

INS Tabar is on a four-month deployment across Africa and Europe to participate in joint exercises with friendly navies and enhance military cooperation through naval engagements.

During its deployment, the Indian Naval Ship has already called on ports in Egypt, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden and France and has conducted naval exercises with the navies of these countries.

As part of its deployment, INS Tabar represented the Indian Navy at ‘Indra Navy-21’, an annual bilateral maritime exercise between India and Russia held in the Baltic Sea on 28-29 July.

A passing exercise also known as ‘PASSEX’ is an exercise done between two navies to ensure that the navies are able to communicate and cooperate in times of war or humanitarian relief.

Earlier, the Algerian Naval Ship (ANS) Ezzadjer, a corvette class of ship had visited India’s Kochi in August 2016.

Various interactions between the ship and the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command had ensued during the visit.

INS Tabar is a Talwar-class stealth frigate and forms part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet which is based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.

The ship is currently commanded by Captain Mahesh Mangipudi and has a complement of over 300 personnel. It is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors and is among the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy. (India News Network)

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We are expanding presence to protect Indian interests, says Navy chief

Navy chief (PRO Hyderabad Ministry/ Twitter)

Hyderabad Sailing Week-2021 was jointly hosted by the EME Sailing Association, the Secunderabad Sailing Club, and the Laser Class Association of India…reports Asian Lite News.

Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh said on Thursday that the Indian Navy has expanded its presence far and wide with the aim of protecting India’s maritime interests.

“Our navy has spread far and wide with the aim of protecting India’s maritime interests,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the 35th edition of the ‘Hyderabad Sailing Week’.

The Chief of Naval Staff pointed out that Indian Navy has been regularly operating across the oceans. “We have gone to the South China Sea and to the Pacific and as we speak today we have a ship in the United Kingdom,” he said.

Admiral Singh said Indian Naval ships were deployed for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, and were also securing and protecting Indian crude oil carriers in the Strait of Hormuz as most of the country’s oil and gas comes from the Gulf.

He noted that for the first time in the history, four yachtsmen from India participated in the recent Olympics and performed very well there. “Our aim would be that our youth get inspired towards sailing by these four men,” he said.

The Navy chief congratulated all the participants and award winners and said their performance is going to motivate and inspire the youngsters. “This national ranking event continues to rise in stature, expanding participation and attracting the best talent in the country to provide perfect launch pad for our budding sailors,” he said.

Hyderabad Sailing Week-2021 was jointly hosted by the EME Sailing Association, the Secunderabad Sailing Club, and the Laser Class Association of India.

EME Sailing Association Commodore, Lt Gen T.S.A. Narayanan, complimented the sailors on high standard of sailing and competitive spirit displayed by all participants.

The event witnessed a total participation of 102 sailors from prominent sailing clubs across the country.

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How the Indian Navy is demonstrating its reach, capabilities

This bilateral joint training exercise carried out over a span of 12 days contributed towards the capacities of Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) and enhanced interoperability of the forces…reports Mihir Bhonsale

Demonstrating professional competence, operating capabilities and reach, the Indian Navy has held several bilateral and multilateral exercises this year stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the East China Sea and from the Gulf of Aden to the Indian Ocean.

Holding bilateral and joint exercises with friendly navies accrues many short term and long term gains for India’s strategic partnership.

These include gaining operational and doctrinal expertise and sharing transformational experiences in addition to examining and imbibing ‘best-practices’.

Among the stated objectives of holding joint exercises with foreign navies is also to achieve a high level of inter-operability and enhance maritime domain awareness through a variety of information-sharing mechanisms.

On Saturday, the fourth edition of the India-Maldives Joint Naval Exercise ‘Ekatha’ ended in Maldives. This bilateral joint training exercise carried out over a span of 12 days contributed towards the capacities of Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) and enhanced interoperability of the forces.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean Region, Indian and US Forces held a two-day integrated bilateral exercise last month.

Participation of the Indian Navy in the exercise held on June 23-24 included Guided Missiles Stealth Destroyer Kochi, Guided Missile Frigates Teg and Maritime air dominance fighter. The US side was represented by Nimitz class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan with her integral maritime air element.

The exercise has been a key enabler in building interoperability and strengthening the defence coordination between the two nations and witnessed high tempo-naval operations at sea.

Reiterating their commitment towards free, open, inclusive and rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, India and EU conducted their first joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Aden on June 18-19.

The exercise involved Indian Navy frigate Indian Naval Ship Trikand, EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta assets, including Italian frigate Carabiniere (Atalanta’s flagship) and Spanish frigate Navarra, French frigate Surcouf and French amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre.

The exercise was based on the scenario of an anti-piracy operation. It included cross-deck helicopter landings, complex tactical evolutions at sea, live firing, a night-time joint patrol and a naval parade in the high seas off the coast of Somalia.

Among other firsts for the Indian Navy was participation in a French naval exercise along with fellow Quad member nations, the United States, Australia and Japan, in the eastern Indian Ocean from March 5 to 7.

Exercise La Perouse involved complex and advanced naval operations including surface warfare, anti-air warfare and air defence exercises, weapon firing exercises, cross deck flying operations, tactical manoeuvres and seamanship evolutions such as replenishment at sea.

India and France also held the 19th edition of the bilateral exercise VARUNA-2021.

Conducted from 25-27 April in the Arabian Sea, the exercise witnessed high tempo-naval operations at sea, including advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, intense fixed and rotary wing flying operations, tactical manoeuvres, surface and anti-air weapon firings, underway replenishment and other maritime security operations.

Units of both navies honed and enhanced their war-fighting skills to demonstrate their ability as an integrated force to promote peace, security and stability in the maritime domain.

Enhancing interoperability and strengthening bilateral maritime cooperation between the two countries, India and Japan undertook Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Andaman Sea.

Indian Navy Ship INS Kulish and Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (MSDF) Training Squadron ships JS Kashima & JS Setoyuki undertook Passage Exercise #PASSEX in Andaman Sea on 13 June.

Earlier in the same month, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Saryu, an indigenously built naval offshore patrol vessel, and Thailand’s HTMS Krabi, an offshore patrol vessel, along with Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies participated in the CORPAT exercise.

The two navies have been undertaking Coordinated Patrol or CORPAT bi-annually along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2005.

This builds up understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitates institution of measures to prevent and suppress unlawful activities like illegal unreported unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.

Besides holding exercises, the Indian Navy undertakes regular overseas deployments particularly in the maritime areas of primary interest.

These engagements are aimed to further strengthen maritime security in the region and to consolidate combined operations against maritime threats.

With a similar objective, the Indian Navy deployed INS Tabar to make port calls and participate in joint exercises with the navies of Africa, Europe and Russia from June to September this year.

After commencing her prolonged deployment on June 13, INS Tabar has undertaken Maritime Partnership Exercises with Egyptian, Italian and Spanish navies.

INS Tabar will transit across the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea and Baltic Sea while making port calls at Djibouti, Egypt, Italy, France, UK, Russia, Netherlands, Morocco, and Arctic Council countries like Sweden and Norway.

In addition to PASSEX with host navies of countries being visited, the ship is also scheduled to participate in bilateral exercises like Exercise Konkan with Royal Navy, Exercise Varuna with French Navy and Exercise Indra with Russian Federation Navy. (India News Network)

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-Top News UK News

Navy defending our values in Russia dispute: Johnson

However, Johnson refused to be drawn on whether he had personally authorised the HMS Defender voyage, according to BBC report…reports Asian Lite News.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Royal Navy warship was “sticking up for our values” in an incident with Russian forces in disputed waters around Crimea, it was reported.

Johnson said the UK does not recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea and was pursuing freedom of navigation in international waters, according to BBC report.

However, the prime minister has denied the relations between UK and Russia were at an all-time low.

On Wednesday more than 20 Russian aircraft and two coastguard ships shadowed HMS Defender as it was sailing off the coast of Crimea.

Russian Defence Ministry said its Black Sea Fleet and Federal Security Service had expelled the British warship that “violated” the country’s territorial waters.

It said the British destroyer HMS Defender crossed Russia’s border in the northwestern part of the Black Sea at 11.52 a.m. on Wednesday after going 3 km beyond the sea border in the area of Cape Fiolent.

However, Johnson refused to be drawn on whether he had personally authorised the HMS Defender voyage, according to BBC report.

He said it was “wholly appropriate to use international waters” to “take the shortest route between two points and that’s what we did”.

It was “very important” countries around the world continue to carry out manoeuvres “sticking up for our values, sticking up for what we believe in,” he said on a visit to an Army barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire.

This would include “democracy, human rights, equalities and the rule of law, and freedom of navigation,” BBC quoted Johnson as saying.

The Foreign Ministry in Moscow said that the vessel ignored warnings on the possible use of weapons from the Russian side, causing a Russian border patrol ship to fire warning shots.

In a statement later on Wednesday, the British Ministry of Defence’s Press Office said that “no warning shots have been fired at HMS Defender”.

“The Royal Navy ship is conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law,” it said.

The Press Office further said: “We believe the Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise in the Black Sea and provided the maritime community with prior-warning of their activity.

“No shots were directed at HMS Defender and we do not recognise the claim that bombs were dropped in her path.”

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US fires warning shots at Iranian vessels

The US crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and loud-hailer devices, but the IRGCN vessels continued their close range maneuvers,” said US Navy….reports Asian Lite News

A US Navy patrol ship fired warning shots at Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels in international waters of the northern Persian Gulf, the Navy said.

Three IRGCN armed speed boats Monday rapidly approached US Navy patrol coastal ship USS Firebolt and a US Coast Guard patrol boat to “unnecessarily close range with unknown intent, including a closest point of approach of 68 yards (62 meters) to both US ships,” the Navy said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The US crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and loud-hailer devices, but the IRGCN vessels continued their close range maneuvers,” the statement said. “The crew of Firebolt then fired warning shots, and the IRGCN vessels moved away to a safe distance from the US vessels.”

IRGCN repeatedly crossed the bows of the U.S. vessels at an unnecessarily close range(Twitter)

US media reported that it was the first time the US Navy had fired on Iranian vessels in nearly four years, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The incident also came amid indirect talks between the US and Iran in Vienna to revive the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its commitments under the JCPOA in May 2019, one year after former US President Donald Trump unilaterally abandoned the agreement and re-imposed sanctions on Iran.

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