Assuming charge as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra on Friday said the safety of men and machinery was the utmost priority for the national maritime force.
“There should be optimal operational deployment,” he said, addressing naval officials.
The Western Naval Command has been impacted by a series of accidents, the worst being the INS Sindhurakshak accident in 2013 in which 18 sailors were killed. Of the15 mishaps reported on board naval vessels in the past 10 months, 10 have been from this command.
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Vice-Admiral Chopra laid emphasis also on the quality of the naval dockyard. “The dockyard should be thorough in their job of refitting ships. Civilian workers and the dockyard need to improve the quality of effort and work in tandem,” he said.
He is the second officer to have headed two operational commands of the Navy — the Eastern and the Western.
Prior to his tenure in the East, he was the Director General, Coast Guard, having taken charge just a few days after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in November 2008.
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“During his tenure as the Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, major combat platforms including three Shivalik-class stealth frigates, nuclear submarine, the INS Chakra, P-81 Long Range Reconnaissance Aircraft and Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft were inducted,” Navy spokesperson Rahul Sinha said.
Vice-Admiral Chopra has commanded missile corvette INS Kuthar, destroyer INS Rajput and aircraft carrier INS Viraat. He has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2007 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2013 for meritorious service.