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'Navy is always ready'
By Our Special Correspondent
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Madhvendra Singh, addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday. - Photo: V. Sudershan
NEW DELHI, JAN 16. The Chief of Naval Staff, Madhvendra Singh, today said the Navy was fully mobilised to meet any challenge from Pakistan in the north Arabian Sea. ``The Navy is fully stood to, its powder is dry and we are ready,'' he observed at his first news conference after taking over as the Navy chief.
The Navy need not adopt an offensive posture against Pakistan, as it had a greater degree of mobility and flexibility. ``The naval force is always ready. All warships are traditionally at eight hour's notice and can travel 500 miles. Therefore, there is no reason to make an offensive foray in the north Arabian Sea.''
On the presence of the large U.S. navy flotilla in the Arabian Sea, he said the international waters were large enough to accommodate everybody. ``In case of a conflict, it is customary for uninvolved parties to stay away. I presume that is what will happen. This (presence of U.S. navy) slightly complicates the situation but it doesn't worry us.''
The Navy chief did not comment on the presence of nuclear weapons on his ships but affirmed the armed force's capability of a retaliatory strike. ``For the fourth time, I neither confirm nor deny the existence of nuclear weapons on ships,'' he said after being questioned repeatedly on the issue.
On a conceptual level, he pointed out that countries such as India which adopted the ``no first use'' nuclear doctrine, invariably have second strike capability and some of the weapons were with the Navy.
Acquisition of at least two aircraft carriers was the Navy's ``most pressing need.'' While one would replace the decommissioned INS Vikrant, another could substitute INS Viraat whose service life was coming to an end. Apart from the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, ``there is nothing suitable we know of in the international market. Therefore, we will have to plan for indigenous manufacture of at least one carrier.''
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