Indian Navy is committed to promoting self-reliance in military technology, Vice-Admiral Satish Soni, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command, has said.
He was inaugurating a Naval technology seminar organised by Bharat Electronics Ltd at Southern Naval Command here on Friday.
The economic growth of the nation has to be sustained by suitable security measures. Accordingly, the Maritime Capabilities Perspective Plan lays down a force level of 200 ships, 600 aircraft and about 20 submarines apart from shore-based assets and infrastructure, he said.
Elaborating on the increasing role of the navy in the context, he said that patrolling the region between east coast of Africa and the Malacca straits, frequent forays into the Gulf and Red Sea as also establishing a reach in the Mediterranean, South China Sea and beyond has become vital.
Anil Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of BEL, who delivered the keynote address at the seminar, said that BEL is proud to partner in Indian Navy’s blue water aspirations. Three new SBUs for missiles, satellites and communication systems have been set up.
He pointed out that the partnership with Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) at Kochi had resulted in the production of a number of new generation sonars for the ships and submarines of the Navy.
Coastal Surveillance System project by BEL has already been commissioned in Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra.
BEL is also involved in setting up similar infrastructure at Mauritius and Seychelles. Product support Centre for NPOL, Cochin Shipyard and Naval Ship Repair Yard Kochi is already functioning from KINFRA Kochi he added.
A product exhibition showcasing various products of Bharat Electronics was also inaugurated on the occasion.
Latest communication equipment, night vision devices, modern commando information systems and other electronics intensive hardware was on display. BEL has been conducting such customer engagement initiatives since 2010.