Security of seas vital for peace: Narayanan

By Arunkumar Bhatt

MUMBAI, FEB. 17. The security of the seas was necessary for the independence and prosperity and security of nations as well as for world peace, the President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, declared here this morning as the eighth International Fleet Review got off to a spectacular start.

Reviewing the maritime show, involving 29 countries, he said, ``it would appear that our call for building bridges of friendship has launched a thousand ships in this historic harbour of Mumbai.''

The IFR, being held for the first time in the sub- continent, is to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Indian Republic and the Navy.

About 70 ships - magnificent destroyers and frigates, snazzy submarines and crafty corvettes, business-like missile boats - presided over by the Indian Navy's flagship, INS Viraat, formed seven review lines in the harbour, as the Supreme Commander of India's armed forces sailed by in the presidential yacht `INS Sukanya'.

Officers and crew, their chests ablaze with medals and insignia, stood to attention on the gaily decorated ships and doffed their caps to the President. Several warships' companies stood upright as per their naval customs and their commanding officers saluted the inspecting dignitary.

Underscoring the theme of the show, Mr. Narayanan said the oceans no longer divided the world. ``Admiral Mahan's concept of the indivisible sea is today a political, economic and strategic reality,'' he told the gathering.

The IFR was a demonstration by the participating countries to build bridges of friendship and symbolic of their desire to maintain peace and tranquility on the seas. ``The seas and oceans are a rich resource of wealth and also crucial in preserving the environmental and ecological balance of the world,'' Mr. Narayanan said.

The President, who was accompanied by the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and several of his Cabinet colleagues, was escorted aboard INS Sukanya by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sushil Kumar.

At one stage, a mobile column of ten missile boats of the 22nd and 23rd squadrons of the Navy, nicknamed Karachi Killers, steamed past the presidential column of three offshore patrol vessels and a minesweeper. Several contingents of the Navy's anti-submarine and commando helicopters - Sea Kings and Kamovs, surface attack carrier-borne Sea Harriers, long-range surveillance TU-42 aircraft and the Dorniers of the Coast Guard staged a fly-past.

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