Karwar: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday went on a sea sortie upon Indian Navy ship ‘INS Khanderi’ during his visit to Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka. He was given a first-hand insight into the combat capabilities and offensive strength of the Kalvari class submarine. For over four hours, the full spectrum of capabilities of underwater operations of the stealth submarine was demonstrated to him, according to a release by the Defence Ministry.
The Minister was accompanied by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and other senior officials of the armed forces. Speaking to the media after the sea sortie, Singh said the Indian Navy was a modern, potent and credible force. "Today, Indian Navy is counted among the frontline navies of the world. Today, the world’s largest maritime forces are ready to work and cooperate with India," he said. Describing 'INS Khanderi' as among the shining examples of the 'Make in India' initiative, Singh pointed out that 39 out of 41 ships and submarines were built in Indian shipyards. He additionally praised the Navy for its operational readiness to deal with any threats in the Indian Ocean region.
The operational sortie was accompanied by the deployment of ships of the Western Fleet, an anti-submarine mission sortie by a P-8I MPA and Sea King helicopter, a fly past by MiG 29-K fighters and a search & rescue capability demonstration. INS Khanderi was commissioned on September 28, 2019. The operational sortie was accompanied by the deployment of ships of the Western Fleet, an anti-submarine mission sortie by a P-8I MPA and Sea King helicopter, a fly past by MiG 29-K fighters and a search & rescue capability demonstration.
Earlier in the day, Singh had noted that the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the contribution of the armed forces were significant in changing the perception of India. "The perception about India is changing in the world. Earlier India was not taken seriously at the international fora. Today the world listens to us. It's your contribution and the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi which makes the world hear us. This is not a small achievement. You have earned a huge recognition so much so that a major country like the US wishes to connect with you" he stated. Singh is currently on a two-day visit to the Karwar naval base, located in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district, to interact with Navy personnel.
