By IANS
Kochi : Indian naval ships need to break with the past and undergo a complete transformation in their effective role of protecting country’s energy security and secure undersea minerals resources, said a top navy official here Monday.
“The need to protect India’s energy security and secure the undersea mineral resources within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will require the role and capabilities of the ships under the (Indian) Navy to undergo a sea change,” said Vice Admiral Sunil K. Damle.
Damle, who is Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command, was speaking at a seminar on modern trends in ship maintenance held by Indian Navy’s Kochi-based Naval Ship Repair Yard. The seminar was part of the diamond jubilee celebrations of the repair yard.
Delegates from the Indian Navy, defence research organisations, private and public sector shipyards and educational institutions attended the seminar.
“The creation of a dedicated dry dock at Kochi will be necessary as our ships venture further into the seas and the operational reach of our navy will only be constrained by our ability to support and maintain them. Thus it is necessary to imbibe the latest trends in ship maintenance across the world,” Damle said.
The technical exhibition, which was also inaugurated, provided an opportunity for firms in the shipbuilding and repair sector to showcase their products.
The ship repair yard at Kochi began its operations in 1948 as a base repair organisation of the Royal Indian Navy.
The yard is equipped with the state of the art facilities such as modern slipway, advanced workshop for repairs of propulsion and weapon systems and employs nearly 1,100 personnel.