Indian Navy Emerges As The ‘Preferred Security Partner’: A Maritime Saga Of Trust And Cooperation

Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, head of the Southern Naval Command, said on Saturday that the Indian Navy is the “preferred security partner” for building up the capabilities of friendly maritime nations. Speaking to the media here before Navy Day celebrations on December 4, Hampiholi gave an overview of the many things the Indian Navy does. He also said that the strong maritime security system was fully equipped and always ready to handle any situation at sea.

“Our role as the preferred security partner in capacity building and capability enhancement of friendly maritime nations is crucial as we train their personnel, provide them with equipment and render a helping hand in times of need in line with the PM’s vision of SAGAR,” said Hampiholi.

He also thanked the fishermen across the state for their work and said that they are the coast’s eyes and ears.

He said that over the past 20 years, the SNC has trained about 20,000 people from over 47 different countries as a training command.

“In 2022-23, international trainees from 39 countries have undergone training at 26 Naval training schools, thereby emerging as the preferred training destination for Friendly Foreign Countries,” he said.

He talked about the important steps the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant took after it was commissioned and how SNC helped with many Search and Rescue (SAR) operations and provided emergency aid to the civil administration.

The head of the SNC talked about the operational capability by saying that the Indian Navy ships were sent out to the Indian Ocean region to carry out a variety of missions and duties.

He also used the example of anti-drug patrols in the Indian Ocean area with 12 friendly countries as an example. He also talked about the humanitarian and logistics work being done in Myanmar, the Maldives, and other places.

With the night landing at Agatti in Lakshadweep, Hampiholi said that the process of getting medical help out of the island group had been sped up.

On Navy Day, the Indian Navy remembers the terrible attack on Karachi harbor on the night of December 4, 1971, which happened during the Indo-Pak war.

On December 4, the Southern Naval Command planned to hold an operational demonstration at Rajendra Maidan here. Arif Mohammed Khan, the governor of Kerala, would be the guest of honor.