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'Future of Indian Navy bright'

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI MAY 10. The possession of world-class war capabilities such as airborne attack and land attack make the future of the Indian Navy bright, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, said here today. He was inaugurating the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Naval aviation.

Mr. Singh said five decades was not a long period in the history of Navy or Naval aviation. "It is still young and many more years of growth are ahead."

Nevertheless, half a century was an important occasion. It is the time to learn about mistakes and also to look ahead into the future. The Naval aviation wing had flown 23 different types of aircraft so far. With the present strength of six air stations, 14 squadrons and 167 aircrafts being flown by 693 pilots and observers, the growth had been remarkable in the last 50 years, he said.

"Navy was going places. The Naval aviation will take the Navy places,'' Mr. Singh said. It has been a saga of sacrifice and daring dedication for the Navy which was soaring to new heights with the acquisition of modern aircrafts such as Sea Harriers, UAVs and ALHs, he said.

In his keynote address, Admiral (retd.) R.H. Tahiliani, said the naval aviation took its first steps in Kochi on INS Garuda on may 11, 1953.

Institutions were built by the efforts of many, but the first commissioning was a pacesetter. Narrating different cases of courage and commitment, Mr. Tahiliani said the Navy could legitimately be proud of its operations. Several aircrew may have lost their lives in flying accidents, but naval aviation can't be accident-free, he said.

Earlier, Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh, FOC, Southern Naval Command, said India was one of the few countries having a Navy capable of operating aircraft carriers.

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