17-Dec-2021: Joint Naval Exercises
The MALABAR Exercise is being conducted annually since 1992 with the aim and objective to enhance Indian Navy’s interoperability with other participating navies, improve skill-sets and exchange ‘best-practices’ including lessons learnt. Twenty five editions of the exercise have been conducted till date with last edition conducted in two phases in August and October 2021. Such exercises also provide impetus to better maritime security in the region in consonance with the Government’s vision of ‘SAGAR-Security and Growth for all in the Region’. As the exercise was a part of regular Indian Navy deployments, therefore, no additional expenditure was involved. INS RanVijay, INS Satpura and an Indian Navy submarine along with crew members participated in the second phase of MALABAR Exercise.
Details of exercises to be undertaken with Friendly Foreign Countries are finalised in consultation with MEA and other stakeholders. These exercises help in development of interoperability with friendly foreign navies in the areas of core naval operations along with providing insights into best practices, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), concepts and technological innovations used by advanced / contemporary navies. Further, these exercises contribute towards showcasing indigenous ship-building capabilities and strengthening of bilateral relations between the countries.
To boost Naval cooperation with Friendly Foreign Countries, Navy-to-Navy Staff Talks and Executive Steering Group Meetings are conducted on annual/ biennial basis, besides joint exercises and joint patrolling, as also training exchanges, hydrography support and measures to enhance maritime domain awareness.
8-Dec-2021: INS Sudarshini deployment to Gulf countries to enhance foreign training cooperation
Indian Navy’s Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini visited Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat, Oman on 05 Dec 21 for a three day Operational Turn Round (OTR). The ship is part of the 1st Training Squadron based at Kochi which provides ab-initio sea experience to sea trainees of the Indian Navy. The ship is on a deployment to the Middle East aimed at strengthening ‘Bridges of Friendship’ with Friendly Foreign Countries in the region as also reach out to the Indian diaspora settled in the Gulf.
During her stay at Muscat, the ship’s crew engaged extensively with the Royal Navy of Oman. The Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Srikanth Venugopal, paid an official visit to HQ Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) and interacted with Capt. Ali Al Hosini, Director General Human Resources, RNO. Naval cooperation, training of young officers and aspects of sail training were amongst the subjects discussed. The ship also undertook operational exchanges in the form of visits to RNO Sail Training Ship Shabab Oman II and Wudham Naval Base, and also embarked five sea riders onboard for a sea experience sortie.
The Commanding Officer also called on HE Shri Amit Narang, Ambassador of India to Oman, Muscat. Ambassador along with the Indian Embassy staff also visited the ship and a familiarization tour was conducted onboard.
INS Sudarshini is an indigenously built Sail Training Ship (STS) built by Goa Shipyard Limited and based at Kochi, Kerala under the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. The along with her sister ship, INS Tarangini form the sail training element of the 1st Training Squadron and has been imparting sail training to IN personnel as well as junior officers from friendly foreign countries.
5-Dec-2021: First of the four ships under Survey Vessel (Large) project for Indian Navy launched in the presence of Raksha Rajya Mantri at GRSE, Kolkata
‘Sandhayak’, the first of the four Survey Vessels (Large) project being built for the Indian Navy, was launched in Kolkata on December 05, 2021. These Vessels have been designed and developed by Defence Public Sector Undertaking, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, which is among the leading warship building companies in India. ‘Sandhayak’ made her first contact with the waters of Hooghly River at 1410 hrs. at the Launch Ceremony graced by Shri Ajay Bhatt, Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri. In keeping with the Naval maritime tradition, Smt Pushpa Bhatt, spouse of Shri Ajay Bhatt, launched the ship to the chanting of invocation from Atharva Veda. .
These survey ships are capable of full scale coastal & deep-water hydrographic survey of Ports & Harbour approaches and determination of navigational channels & routes. These ships are also capable of undertaking survey of maritime limits and collection of Oceanographic & Geographical data for Defence applications, thus boosting the maritime capabilities of the country. These ships are propelled by two Marine Diesel Engines combined with Fixed Pitch Propellers and fitted with Bow & Stern Thrusters for manoeuvering at low speeds during surveys. In their secondary role, these ships would be capable of performing roles such as Search & Rescue and Disaster Relief, besides serving as Hospital ship with limited facilities during emergencies. The ships will have a retractable Hangar for stowage of a Utility helicopter
The contract for building four survey ships was signed between MoD and GRSE on 30 Oct 18 at a total cost of Rs 2435 cr. The ships are fully designed by the Design team of GRSE to meet the requirements of the Indian Navy and are being built utilising the concepts of ‘Integrated Construction’ and in compliance with applicable provisions and regulations of the Classification Society. It has over 80 per cent indigenous content by cost and this will also ensure that large scale defence production is executed by Indian manufacturing units, thereby generating employment and expertise within the country.
Appreciating GRSE’s efforts, the Raksha Rajya Mantri said, the launch of the ship reinforces the Government’s commitment of indigenous shipbuilding as part of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Make in India' and provides thrust to 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. He appreciated the fact that 37 warships and submarines for Indian Navy are currently under various stages of construction in different shipyards within the country. Shri Ajay Bhatt lauded the Indian Navy and GRSE for working together on number of projects of national importance such as Project 17A frigates and Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts.
Saying that blue economy is one of the core dimensions of growth as per the Government’s vision of New India by 2030, Shri Ajay Bhatt expressed confidence that the vessel will be a major contributor towards meeting the initiatives and vision for sustainable development in the maritime domain. He hoped that ‘Sandhayak’ will ensure safe navigation of not just Indian ships, but of friendly foreign nations in the Indian Ocean Region. “This would help in strengthening our bilateral ties and in opening up & promoting trade opportunities for our nation in the long term,” he added.
As per build strategy adopted by GRSE, first ship is being built at GRSE Ltd and construction of balance three ships is envisaged at M/s L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli.
In his address, Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena (Retd) said, the present survey ships are equipped with new generation hydrographic equipment and is testimony to the maturity of the country’s indigenous construction capability towards achieving self-reliance. He said, this achievement, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is a testimony to the commitment and capability of the GRSE.
The erstwhile Sandhayak incidentally was also launched at GRSE, Kolkata 44 years ago on 06 Apr 1977.
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta; Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh; Chief Hydrographer to the Government Vice Admiral Adhir Arora and other senior officials of GRSE, Armed Forces and the Industry representatives were also present on the occasion. For the first time, this ceremony was also witnessed by more than 100 students from various city schools, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and others.
3-Jun-2021: INS Sandhayak to be Decommissioned on 04 Jun 21
INS Sandhayak, the first of its class indigenously designed and built Hydrographic Survey Ship of Indian Navy, will be decommissioned on Friday, 04 Jun 21 after serving the nation for 40 years. The decommissioning ceremony of INS Sandhayak will be held at Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam and will be a low-key event attended only by in-station officers and sailors with strict observance of COVID protocols.
Sandhayak was conceptualised by then Chief Hydrographer to the Govt. of India, Rear Adm FL Fraser, AVSM, Padma Shri who had a strong desire for indigenously designed and built hydrographic survey vessels in India. The design was finalised by Naval Headquarters and the construction of the ship began at GRSE Kolkata (then Calcutta) by laying the keel in 1978. The ship was commissioned to the Indian Navy on 26 Feb 1981 by Vice Adm MK Roy, AVSM then Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command(ENC). Since commissioning, she has been the Alma-Mater nurturing the hydrographers of the Indian Navy thereby laying the foundation of complete hydrographic coverage of the peninsular waters. Also, the success of her design paved way for all the Survey ships of the Indian Navy in various modifications till recently.
The ship, during her commissioned service, has undertaken approximately 200 major Hydrographic Surveys and numerous minor surveys in both East and West coasts of the country, the Andaman seas and the neighbouring countries too. Apart from Survey Missions, the ship has been an active participant in many significant operations such as Op Pawan – assisting the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in 1987, Op Sarong, Op Rainbow - rendering humanitarian assistance post Tsunami of 2004 and participation in maiden joint INDO-US HADR Exercise ‘Tiger-Triumph’.
In its glorious 40 years, the ship saw 22 Commanding Officers at the helm, with the last Commanding Officer taking charge of the ship on 17 Jun 19. With the sunset on Friday, the Naval Ensign and the Commissioning Pennant will be hauled down for the last time onboard INS Sandhayak, in the presence of Vice Adm Ajendra Bahadur Singh, AVSM, VSM Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief ENC symbolising the decommissioning.