Indigenisation to achieve self-reliance

The Navy has taken the lead among the three Services in indigenising platforms and equipment

Kochi, Kerala, 18/11/2017: Naval personnel slotted in for Sagar Prahari Bal, the specialised force for harbour protection, receiving rapelling training from stacked up containers at Navy's missile and gunnery school INS Dronacharya at Fort Kochi on Saturday. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat.

With a view to exposing young naval officers to the nuances of indigenisation, the Navy, which has taken the lead among the three Services in indigenising platforms and equipment, kick-started a two-week course in indigenisation at the Southern Naval Command (SNC) last month.

“This is in line with the policy of the government to attain self-reliance through indigenisation,” says Rear Admiral K. Swaminathan, Chief Staff Officer (Training).

The course, held at the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology at the Naval Base, is aimed at providing stimulus to the naval aviation technical officers by exposing them to the nuances of indigenisation procedures in a structured manner. “This will not only achieve institutionalisation of indigenous training but also augment development of self-reliant outlook towards problem solving. The Navy looks at the entire concept through the prism of strategic capability building.”

Training is the raison-d’être of the Kochi-based Southern Naval Command, says Captain Suvrat Magon, Command Training Coordinating Officer.

“It has been a constant endeavour to continuously audit the existing procedures, facilities and evolve new methods to provide relevant and effective training across the spectrum ranging from the ab initio stage to senior levels. There are 33 training establishments and schools under the SNC. This includes the ships of the First Training Squadron. In all, 15 units, including the First Training Squadron, are based in Kochi, making it one of the few integrated training facilities. The remaining 18 units are spread across seven different States,” he explains.

Training at INA

If the annual training output for 2016-17 was 61,014, it is likely to be around 65,000 in 2017-18, with an average of about 12,000 trainees training in establishments under the SNC at any given time. The capacity of the prestigious Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala will be enhanced to 1,650 from the present 1,200 on completion of its second phase of expansion. At present, there are 11 international trainees at INA.

Sailor training at INS Chilka has been augmented, primarily to overcome manpower shortage. “The annual throughput at Chilka this year would be around 6,270, which is about 800 to 1,000 personnel more in comparison with previous years’ throughput. Over the years, there has been a quantum jump in the number of trainees from foreign nations. “Over 14,000 international students from 40 countries have undergone training at various Naval training units and establishments over the past four decades. But, in a first, over 1,000 vacancies have been offered to foreign trainees for the year 2017-18.”

A recently commenced capsule course for retiring sailors, in the meantime, seeks to enhance their employability in the civil society. The Southern Command has taken on the mandate for skill certification of over 3,000 retiring personnel each year.