(H.T)
Kovind said Indian Navy had been at the forefront of the “Make in India” initiative with about 70 per cent of the contents of several warships and submarines under construction in various public and private shipyards across the country being indigenous. Complimenting the Indian Navy for becoming increasingly self-reliant, President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said the development of indigenous naval shipbuilding capabilities was an impressive contribution to the making of an “Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
The President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, was addressing a gathering after reviewing the Indian Navy’s fleet at Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. The 12th Presidential Fleet Review kicked off with a 21-gun salute. Kovind said Indian Navy had been at the forefront of the “Make in India” initiative with about 70 per cent of the contents of several warships and submarines under construction in various public and private shipyards across the country being indigenous. “It is a matter of great pride that India has built nuclear submarines and soon we will have our indigenously built aircraft carrier, ‘Vikrant’, joining the service. I was happy to inspect ‘Vikrant’ during my visit to Kochi in December last year,” he said.
He said the excellent parade of ships, aircraft and submarines as part of the Presidential Fleet Review showcased the professional competence and determination of the maritime services of the nation. It also showed the preparedness of the Indian Navy for any contingency, he said. The President recalled the heroic action of the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, in the naval blockade of the then East Pakistan and the sinking of Pakistan’s submarine “Ghazi.”
