Continuing the maritime diplomacy, Indian Navy has charted out an extensive joint exercise with the French Navy in March, top Naval officials said. "We intend to continue with the maritime diplomacy. It has helped much," Admiral Madhavendra Singh said aboard INS Viraat. Chief of Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha said an Indo-France joint naval exercise will be held in March as part of extension of the maritime diplomacy programme. "Last month, we held a small exercise with them. The March show will be a major one," he said adding even French large aircraft carriers including FNS Charles De Gaulle will take part in it. He said there was no immediate proposal for any such exercise with the United States Navy, who are otherwise present in quite a good strength in the region. "Even otherwise they are quite busy," Vice Admiral Pasricha said. Last year, the Indian Navy undertook joint exercises with as many as 20 countries, opening new vistas in mutual maritime understanding.

Navy to raise techno-warriors
(Hindustan Times, 24 January 2002)

Move over, Rambo. The Indian Navy has decided to raise a new breed of techno-warriors, in which every combatant officer will also be an engineer. "The future of warfare lies in technology," says Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh, the Navy's Chief of Personnel. "Every officer will be educated and skilled to the Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) level," he informs. In the backdrop of the revolution in military affairs (RMA), this will give a further technical orientation to the Navy's combat capability. Engineering will now be a more direct tool in war making. There are more efforts to bridge the gaps in the education of the modern-day sea warrior. Officers are being sent to such institutes as the Stimson Centre in the USA and King's College and the International Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (IISS) in the UK.

Admiral Singh champions the concept of a scholar warrior, and feels education is critical. He is proactive on getting his officers to go out and learn. Such education is being meshed in career progression. "About 25 officers are abroad doing research on security and strategic affairs," he says. But more far-reaching is the effort to reorient naval war fighting through engineering skills. Besides giving a combat edge, such technical orientation will make the force leaner. Specialisation for combatants in such areas as weapons, communications, sensors, computers and electronics will assist in shipping out surplus manpower tasked exclusively with maintenance by an estimated 20%. The technical makeover involves pulling up the three-year B Sc syllabus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) to meet B Tech requirements. The B Tech education will continue into its fourth year at the Naval Academy.

The Navy plans a capacity for training 200 techno-warriors annually at the upcoming Naval Academy at Ezhimala in Kerala, which is expected to be complete by 2005. The maritime engineering school, INS Shivaji at Lonavala and the electrical engineering school INS Valsura at Jamnagar will be shifted and integrated with the Naval Academy. One out of every three technical officers will be put through an M Tech. The intake levels of sailors are being upgraded to Class 12. But former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral (retd.) Vishnu Bhagwat, who pioneered the concept of a scholar warrior, says it's not happening too soon. "The US Naval Academy has six of its eight majors in engineering. This is their orientation for the last 50 years. There's no navy of consequence that doesn't have it. We're waking up too late," he complains.

Armed forces fully mobilised
(Times of India, 19 January 2002)

The Indian Armed Forces, including the Navy, were fully mobilised and ready to take on anyone threatening the nation's maritime interests, Naval Chief Admiral Madhvendra Singh has said. "India has assured capability to strike back to cause such damage which the other side cannot even imagine," Admiral Singh, on his first visit to the Southern Naval Command HQ in Kochi after taking over as Chief of Naval Staff, said aboard the newly commissioned INS Sarvekshak. Replying to a question on Navy's firepower vis-à-vis Pakistan's, Admiral Singh said the Navy's fire power was more than adequate to carry out any assigned operational task. :We have fairly large surface fleet, aircraft carriers and submarines which is enough to carry out any operational task," he said. Asked if the Navy had nuclear weapons on its warships, Admiral Singh said he would neither confirm nor deny it. "Any country that espouses a nuclear doctrine of no first use, make sure that it had a second strike capability," he said and added, "Therefore, all countries which have second strike capability have a triad of weapons - on air, land and at sea."

Navy wants rescue facility for growing submarine fleet
(Times of India, 18 January 2002)

With 16 submarines in its inventory and the intent to acquire more, including a nuclear-propelled one, the Indian Navy is keen to set up a full-fledged submarine rescue facility as soon as possible. The new Navy Chief, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, in fact, hopes the government will approve the establishment of the first such facility in India soon. Defence Minister George Fernandes, during his ongoing US visit, is also expected to touch on the topic of submarine rescue, among other issues of defence cooperation, with top Pentagon officials. Experts say submarine rescue facilities, including transportable Deep Submergence Rescue Vessels (DSRVs) and other submersibles, are desperately required by the Navy. "Most of our submarines, which are of Russian-origin, don't have any effective built-in evacuation features in case of emergencies," said a senior official. "Only our four German HDW submarines have rescue spheres built into the hulls," said the officer. At present, the only escape channel available to the crew in most of the submarines is pressurised diving suits. But these suits, donned by sailors to swim through escape hatches, are useless at greater depths.

The Kursk disaster is still fresh in the minds of Indian submariners. The Russian nuclear submarine had lost contact while on an exercise in the Barents Sea in August 2000. All subsequent rescue efforts mounted to save the 118 sailors on board failed miserably. "Rescue operations depend on the time taken to locate the disabled submarine, the water depth and the rescue vessel's capacity to operate at that depth after successful mating with the submarine," said an officer. "The American DSRVs, as opposed to ones available with others like the Britishers, can operate at much greater depths. Now that the US sanctions have been lifted, let's see what happens," he added. Submarine rescue facilities become all the more important since the Navy wants to augment its underwater arm in the coming days to get the much-needed punch to operate in the high seas. "Any country which has a nuclear weapon triad," as Admiral Madhvendra Singh remarks, "knows that its most powerful leg is hidden and moving under the sea." India and France have already decided to go in for the joint production of the French-designed Scorpene Class submarines, which are a generation ahead of the Pakistan-acquired Agosta Class submarines. The government has also cleared re-opening of the submarine assembly production lines at the Mazagoan Docks, with the plan to manufacture or assemble 24 submarines in a phased manner. Naval officers hope the new submarines will incorporate maximum possible features to facilitate crew survival, with back-up options, till rescue operations can be successfully mounted.

Warships in full readiness
(Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times & Rediff, 17 January 2002)

Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh responds to a question at a press conference in New Delhi on 16 January 2002. "India is fully prepared for a conventional war," Admiral Singh said, adding that the border situation between India and Pakistani forces was serious. [Image © India Times]

Not confirming or denying the presence of nuclear weapons on his warships, the new Navy Chief - Admiral Madhvendera Singh - said a naval warship flotilla was in full readiness to deal with any eventuality on the north Arabian Sea. While emphasising that India's nuclear doctrine was no-first use, he said the country had an assured second-strike capability. Of the country's nuclear triad, one was in the sea, he said. Addressing his first press conference after taking over the reigns of the Navy, Admiral Singh discounted conjectures that US naval operations in the Arabian Sea could hamper or interfere with Indian naval operations in case of any conflict. "If a conflict occurs between two belligerent parties, those who are not involved usually stay away. The presence of US forces in the North Arabian Sea may slightly complicate matters, but don't worry us." He clarified that there was no need to adopt an offensive posture like it happened at the time of Kargil conflict.

To whether the situation demanded a naval blockade of Karachi, Admiral Singh said, "There's no reason for us to make a foray into the North Arabian Sea. We're carrying out surveillance. We have the capability, and we'll do it if we have to." The Admiral mentioned that the Navy has been sweating in peace to train for war. "On the operational front, we have been very busy last year in peace-time training exercises," he said. The CNS also dismissed reports that recent attempts by Pakistan to develop Gawdar as a naval base in Baluchistan with Chinese help would give it security depth to avoid a 1971 Karachi harbour-type Indian missile blitzkerg. He said it would take another 8 to 10 years to develop the Baluchistan port as a full-fledged naval base. "It is a large ocean. There is room for everyone. We have as much right to operate in the area as anybody and we intend to do so," the Navy Chief said.

"In accordance with the government directive, all the three wings are mobilised. The warships are armed, provisioned and fully stand ready," he said. Throughout his over hour-long interaction with the media, the new Navy Chief remained non-committal on key issues like whether India was proposing to lease a larger second nuclear submarine, the status of the indigenous Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), and whether the country had acquired the long range maritime strike aircraft, the Tu-22, which have a nuclear weapon carrying capability. Admiral Singh, however, did say that Navy had projected to the government a big expansion plan including replacement for the decommissioned aircraft carrier, Vikrant, and for INS Viraat, nearing its service life. Saying that induction of new aircraft carriers was the Navy's most pressing need, the Navy Chief stated that negotiations with the Russians were still on. "Discussions are going on and if and when both the parties are happy, a deal might be struck," he said adding that concurrently projections were also being finalised for fighters for the new carriers.

Admiral Singh said the the Indo-Russian joint development anti-ship cruise missile BrahMos was on schedule and would be inducted within two or three years. He also said that along with aircraft carriers the Navy was also looking for strengthening its maritime reconnaissance aircraft fleet of IL-38s and Tu-142s as well as replacing the older Sea King anti-submarine helicopters. "We are laying emphasis on indigenous capability and any new naval helicopters chosen would entail complete transfer of technology and know-how," he said. On controversial Indo-Israel Barak deal, to equip warships with anti-missile systems, the Naval Chief said Israel had been told to stick to delivery schedules. Admiral Singh said that naval designers and DRDO scientists working jointly had made rapid progress in developing heavy torpedoes and world class underwater sonars and these were now being equipped in new warships including three frigates on order from Russia. Pointing out that US decisions to lift post-Pokharan sanctions were still to be implemented, the Navy Chief said he was hopeful of supplies of vital spares for the Sea Kings and Sea Harriers resuming shortly. Admiral Singh said that with the resumption of military-to-military ties with US, he was hopeful that the government would give top priority to setting up of India's first ever naval submarine rescue facility. Asked if New Delhi would bid for American help in this, the Navy Chief replied that it would be through worldwide tenders.

Navy Chief cagey about sea-based nuke capability

Admiral Madhvendra Singh made a meaningful statement on India's sea-based nuclear capability while discussing the issue at a conceptual level at his first Press conference after taking over as the Chief of Naval Staff on December 29. "Any country that espouses a no-first use policy (like India) must have an assured second-strike capability. All such countries have a triad of weapons, one of them at sea."

"It is far too difficult to hit moving and hidden targets as they are impossible to be found and destroyed. For the most potent nuclear states the most powerful leg of their triad is hidden, moving and underwater," Admiral Singh said, refusing to "confirm or deny the existence of nuclear weapons on our ships." While ducking a question on the leasing of a nuclear-propelled submarine (which can stay under the sea for long periods without replenishment), he said 2½ years are required to skill the Navy to operate a nuclear submarine. "A great deal of mobility and flexibility is inherent in Naval capability. All warships are at an eight-hour notice. These can travel 5,000 miles a day. Within 24 hours, we can be where we want to," he said.

"Small Carriers Won't Do"

Navy Chief, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, said small aircraft carriers were unsuitable and that Indian Navy's most pressing need was a replacement for its aircraft carriers, the de-commissioned Vikrant and INS Viraat. The Admiral also resolved to create an indigenous capability to meet the requirements of a modern navy. "We're sworn to indigenisation. You can't keep buying a Navy. You've got to build it," he said. He said that INS Viraat, despite its recent upgrade, has only a limited amount of life left. The Vikrant has already been decommissioned and converted into a museum. "Small aircraft carriers were a 20th century idea. These will not meet the requirements of a Navy of the 21st century," he said. Modern aircraft carriers ought to be compatible with air force fighters, he suggested. Admiral Singh, however, clarified that his views would have no bearing on the Air Defence Ship (ADS) project. The ADS has been envisaged as a small aircraft carrier, and is to be built at the Cochin Shipyard.

Vice Admiral J.C. De Silva takes over as VCNS
(MoD Press Release, 15 January 2002)

Vice Admiral John Colin DeSilva, PVSM, AVSM took over as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) on January 15th. He inspected a Guard of Honour at South Block before assuming charge. Before this, Admiral De Silva was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. Vice Admiral De Silva, joined the National Defence Academy in July 1960 and was later commissioned in the Indian Navy. He is a gunnery and missile specialist having done the long Gunnery course in Kochi and the advanced Gunnery course in the U.K. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham, U.K., and is also an alumnus of the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Vice Admiral De Silva's command assignments afloat include command of guided-missile destroyer, INS Ranvjiay, guided-missile corvettes INS Sindhudurg and INS Vijaydurg. He set up the Warship Workup Organisation of the Indian Navy in 1982. His other ashore assignment inter-alia include appointments as Chief Instructor Gunnery School, Joint Director of Combat Policy & Tactics and Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) at Naval Headquarters (NHQ). He was also the Naval Assistant to the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).

Vice Admiral De Silva was promoted to flag rank in October 1992 and held the appointments of the Assistant Chief of Personnel (Human Resource Development), Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (1995-96) and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Information Warfare & Operations) till he was promoted to Vice Admiral in July 1997. He then took over as the Controller, Warship Production & Acquisition followed by a year as the Chief of Personnel before taking over the Coast Guard as Director General on 05 March 1999. He was appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command in March 2001. Vice Admiral De Silva was decorated with the Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 1993 and the Param Vishist Seva Medal in 2001 for distinguishing service of a most exceptional order. He is married and has two children.

Indigenously built survey ship dedicated to nation
(Times of India, 14 January 2002)

INS Sarvekshak, a survey ship built indigenously, was commissioned by Union Shipping Minister Ved Prakash Goyal and dedicated to the nation at an impressive function held at the Naval base in Kochi on January 14th. Vice Admiral Harinder Singh, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, accepted INS Sarvekshak, the ninth survey vessel in the series of the Indian Navy. The ship is equipped with a state-of-the-art survey equipment, which includes side scan sonar multi beam echo sounder arrays for deep sea survey, various geophysical sensing equipment used for sensing sea anomalies, latest navigation and satellite communication and a full fledged laboratory for analysis on board. Constructed by Goa shipyard Ltd, it was built at an estimated cost of Rs.100 crore. With an endurance of about 45 days, the ship is capable of extensive sailing to undertake a variety of hydro-graphic, oceanographic, bathymetric and geophysical tasks thereby bringing many an uncharted and unexplored waters under the survey's purview.

Indian Navy to commission ninth survey ship
(Hindustan Times, 11 January 2002)

The Indian Navy's ninth survey ship, the Sarvekshak, will be commissioned on January 14th at Kochi. The Sarvekshak, built at Goa SY, has superior design features and is equipped with the latest survey and hydro-graphic equipment, machinery, navigational and communication aids and sensors, a naval release said. The features are ideally designed to meet the stringent International ISO 9002 Digital Survey Accuracy Standards in shallow and deep waters, required for the production of electronic navigational charts and publications in a highly competitive hydro graphic world, it said. Powered by two diesel engines which deliver 2400 bhp each, the ship has a top speed of 16 knots, it said. Equipped with state-of-the-art hydro graphic survey aids, the survey ship can undertake full scale coastal and oceanic hydro-graphic survey of ports and harbours and collection of oceanographic and geophysical data, it added.

Reception by CNS for NCC Cadets
(MoD Press Release, 10 January 2002)

Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, has offered two seats to NCC Cadets on the Naval Ships going abroad every year. Speaking at the reception hosted by him for the NCC Cadets attending the Republic Day Parade Camp in New Delhi on January 10th, Admiral Singh said this will help the cadets to get acquainted with day-to-day activities of the Navy. He asked the NCC cadets to spread the message to the rural masses whatever they are learning during their training in the NCC as others are not so fortunate to get the training like them. About 300 NCC cadets from all over the country including 65 cadets from the seven foreign countries attended the reception. Lt. Gen. B.K. Bopanna, Director General NCC and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.

DRDO's new radar to improve coastal surveillance
(Deccan Herald, 04 January 2002)

In order to increase India's surveillance capacity along the sea coast, DRDO has developed an indigenous small radar which could be fitted onto naval vessels to monitor movements across vast stretches of sea. The radar, meant for smaller platforms, could also be fitted onto helicopters doing reconnaissance, Dr. V.K. Aatre, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Ministry and Director General of DRDO said on the sidelines of the Indian Science Congress in Lucknow on January 3rd. The naval surveillance radar has passed the design and development stage and will be ready for field trial within the next couple of months, he said. Along with the naval radar, DRDO has also come up with battle-surveillance radar for border areas whose field trial would begin by the end of this month, he said.

The indigenous radars along with the spy satellite, TES, which is functioning well so far and is capable of sending one meter resolution images from across the border will strengthen the national surveillance capacity, lack of which attracted criticism from many quarters after the Kargil episode. Development of indigenous radar means a giant leap for Indian technology as the country imported surveillance and tracking radar only 25 years back, Dr. Aatre said, adding that in many cases India lacks not because of absence of table-top technologies, but because of poor quality packaging of the technology and absence of proper marketing initiatives. However, DRDO did not have any plans for developing ground-based sensors which could pick up the vibrations caused by troop or tank movements. "Such sensors are available in the market and we have bought some of them from the US," he said.

On the Remotely Activated Acoustic Warning System (RAAWS), developed by Solid State Physics Laboratory in Delhi, one of the units of DRDO, Dr. Aatre said the system was not useful for hilly terrain like Jammu & Kashmir though it could be exploited in the Rajasthan and Gujarat borders. The technology for RAAWS that could detect enemy movement in the border was transferred to Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) at Naini, but there were barely any takers for the technology. Highlighting on the need to have a balanced combination between imported and indigenous technology, he said that some of the components in the electronic warfare system, being developed by the DRDO, are imported.

The newly commissioned Hovercraft (H-184), for the Indian Coast Guard, arriving at Mumbai on 02 January 2002. The hovercraft, after a few days halt at Girgaum Chowpati shore in South Mumbai, would leave for Gujarat. [Image © India Times]

New Coast Guard station to come up in Gujarat
(Outlook India, 02 January 2002)

In a major step to strengthen the maritime prowess on the coasts, the government would soon set up a new Coast Guard Station in the western sector even as the process to put in position country's biggest indigenously built Hovercraft (H-184) there has started, senior Coast Guard officials said. The new station will be at Jhakhau in Gujarat and function under the command control of Coast Guard Gujarat Headquarters, they said. Interacting with newspersons on board the 21-metre long hovercraft, the officials said after halting at Girgaum Chowpatty in South Mumbai for a few days, the hovercraft will be moving up north towards Gujarat. However, the officials declined to divulge details of its operational program and also skirted a question on whether the vessel's movement towards the western frontier was part of any move to step up the built up in the wake of post December 13th developments. "It was all pre-planned. This much I can tell you," said a top Coast Guard official.

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