VISAKHAPATNAM, India, 13 February 2006 — President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam yesterday reviewed the Indian Navy’s fleet and witnessed its operational prowess in this port city.
Kalam embarked on the presidential yacht — INS Sukanya — to review the fleet after an impressive 21-gun salute and guard of honor by 150 sailors at the Visakhapatnam harbor.
The presidential fleet review is held once during the tenure of each Indian President.
This was the ninth presidential fleet review and the first to be hosted on India’s eastern coast. All the previous reviews took place on the western coast off Bombay.
Vizag naval base is home to India’s submarine fleet.
Sixty warships, including two submarines, and 40 aircraft took part in the fleet review.
As the president, the supreme commander of the armed forces, stood on the deck of the Sukanya, it made its way past four rows of ships in the review anchorage in the waters off R.K. Beach. As the presidential yacht passed between the rows of warships, he was greeted with cheers of ‘jai’ by the crews of each ship, who lined up on the upper deck in their ceremonial white uniforms.
A mobile column of nine smaller warships and two submarines then made its way past the Sukanya. The review culminated with a flypast featuring 40 naval aircraft.
Some of the Indian Navy’s most powerful ships took part in the review, including the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, Delhi-class destroyers, Talwar-class missile frigates and Godavari-class frigates.
Besides the navy’s vessels, a limited number of Coast Guard ships and merchant vessels also participated in the review. The sail training ship INS Tarangini, which recently circumnavigated the globe, was a special attraction at the event.
The aircraft which took part in the flypast included the giant TU-142 maritime patrol planes, Sea Harrier jets, Seaking and Kamov helicopters.
Kalam arrived Saturday at Visakhapatnam, the headquarters of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Command and the base for is submarine fleet.
Tomorrow, Kalam will become the first president to make a sortie in a submarine. Traveling in a Russian-made Kilo-class vessel, he will witness the intricacies of submarine operations, including the simulated launch of torpedoes.
The fleet review is a long-standing tradition observed by major navies. It is a ceremonial event where the president witnesses the navy’s strength and reaffirms his faith in its ability to safeguard the nation’s maritime interests.
