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Manmohan says Navy will emerge as three-dimensional force

EZHIMALA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the Centre had an ambitious plan for modernisation of the Navy to equip it to emerge as a three-dimensional force.

Inaugurating the Indian Naval Academy (Navac), built on 2,452 acres of land facing the Arabian Sea, at Ezhimala in Kannur district on Thursday, the Prime Minister said: “The sea is increasingly becoming relevant in the context of India’s security interests and we must readjust our military preparedness to this fast-changing environment.”

Dr. Manmohan Singh said the recent Mumbai terrorist attacks had highlighted the need for heightened vigil against attempts of subversive outfits to use the blue waters around the country for their acts of terrorism. The Mumbai attacks had exposed the asymmetric threats coming from the sea, as there was a marked increase in the efforts of terrorists and other groups to use the sea for their nefarious purposes.

Calling upon the Navy, the Coast Guard and intelligence agencies to coordinate their efforts more effectively on a real-time basis, the Prime Minister said the country should develop credible strategies to counter all threats from the sea. The government would take all necessary measures to ensure that the Coast Guard and the Navy were fully equipped. Since India was emerging as a major maritime power in the region, the Navy should have the best possible equipment and training facilities.

“The importance of the Indian Navy in safeguarding our vital security interests has become paramount. There can be no doubt that the Indian Navy must be the most important maritime power in this region,” he said.

Stating that the maritime presence of other competing interests in the sphere of India’s interests and influence would have to be carefully monitored, Dr. Singh said the Navy should be fully prepared for the role. He said the magnificent campus of Navac would produce graduates with the latest scientific and technical skills and broad awareness of national interests.

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