VAdm Dinesh K Tripathi, FOCINC WNC, addressed members of media at Navy Day Annual Press Conference of Navy Week 23 onboard INS Chennai at Mumbai on 01 Dec 2023. CINC in his opening address, spoke about the extensive deployment of ships, submarines and aircraft by WNC to maintain presence in all areas of maritime interest to provide security and safeguard our national interests. CINC highlighted the near continuous deployment of ships and submarines on Mission Based Deployments across area of operations, duly supported by extensive surveillance and cooperative engagements with friendly foreign countries. He also mentioned that WNC has remained focused on ensuring combat readiness of all units and honing of skills in operations at sea with centrality of delivery of ordnance on target. The Admiral spoke about the challenges posed by non-traditional security threats including maritime terrorism, piracy, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, human/ arms and drug trafficking necessitating development of fresh paradigm for maritime security. He also highlighted the higher instances of natural disasters and regional instabilities which necessitated increased deployment of Indian Navy for HADR and Non-combatant Evacuation operations (NEO) like OpKaveri wherein naval ships swiftly responded and evacuated 1489 Indians safely from strife-torn Sudan. Fielding a diverse range of questions from media, VAdm Dinesh K Tripathi clarified queries on upcoming Op demo by Indian Navy at Sindhudurg on Navy day, coastal security, cyber security, Agniveers, fight against drug trafficking through sea, indigenous warships production, increased role and responsibilities for women in Navy, among others. Indian Navy celebrates Navy Day on 04 Dec every year, the date on which during 1971 Indo-Pak conflict, naval ships, armed to the teeth, stealthily manoeuvred off Karachi, and unleashed a lethal missile attack that left the port ablaze and destroyed several enemy warships.
