Be prepared for any threats at the Indian Ocean Region : Eastern Naval Command chief

A ceremonial parade comprising platoons of naval personnel from various ships, submarines, establishments and Defence Security Corps was held at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in the Command Gymnasium here on Saturday.

Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, ENC, inspected a 50-man armed guard parade at the event, which was attended by all flag officers and commanding officers of various ships and establishments in Visakhapatnam.

Speaking on the occasion, Jain conveyed the need to remember the sacrifices of the brave warriors who fought for freedom and those who laid down their lives in service of the motherland. He reminded everyone of the challenging times the country is facing, primarily due to the coronavirus and the security situation.

Jain highlighted various administrative measures, such as the setting up of wellness centres, awareness campaigns and quarantine centres for the naval community, and said they helped check the spread of Covid-19.

He also reminded the personnel on parade of the tense security situation, especially against the backdrop of the India-China standoff in Ladakh, and added that with the changing security dynamics, maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is vital, and everyone in the ENC must be prepared to face traditional and non-traditional asymmetric threats.

Jain congratulated the personnel of Navy ships Jalashwa, Airavat and Shakti for bringing back over 3,500 Indians from many nations as part of Operation Samudra Setu during the Covid-19 pandemic. He also appreciated the efforts of the Naval Dockyard personnel for their innovation for in-house deployment and manufacturing of portable multi-feed oxygen manifolds, lung resuscitators, remote monitoring facility for ICU Patients, and preparation of masks and hand sanitisers.

In another event at the ‘Victory at Sea’ War Memorial on Beach Road, Vice Admiral Kalidoss Srinivas AVSM, NM, VSM, project director, Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam, paid tributes to those who sacrificed their lives to defend the nation. Two minutes of silence were observed as a mark of respect to the brave warriors.

At NSTL, its director hoisted the tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day. He appealed to employees to change their lifestyles to fight the coronavirus crisis, and urged scientists and officials to reduce the delay in ongoing research projects.