This year’s Navy Day celebration on December 4, is expected to be a grander celebration than the previous years, the President of India, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, will be attending as the chief guest.
It is learnt from reliable sources that President Droupadi Murmu has given her consent to attend the programme.
She is likely to be accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhat, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar and other high-profile dignitaries.
Since the President will be coming to Andhra Pradesh and to the Eastern Naval Command for the first time since assuming office, a number of shows are being planned.
While, regular shows such as operations demonstration by the Marine Commandos (Marcos), lining and illumination of naval ships off the coast, show by the naval band and flypast by naval aircraft are there in the itinerary, it is learnt that air show and parajumping also my feature in the demonstration.
Since the last few decades, Navy Day has been part of the annual shows in the city and people look forward to it.
The city has already witnessed at least two Presidential Fleet Reviews (PFRs) and one International Fleet Review (IFR), this is probably one among the rare Navy Day Celebrations, which will have the presence of the President of India and such high-profile delegation.
Navy Day is celebrated every year on December 4, primarily to recognise the role of the Indian Navy and the date is chosen commemorating the success of Indian Navy in Operation Trident, which focussed on the bombardment of the Karachi harbour, in the war against Pakistan in 1971.
On the night of December 4-5, 1971, PNS Ghazi, a Pakistani submarine, was also sunk off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
