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Navy extending support to 'Look East' policy
In keeping with the Centre's 'Look East' policy, the Navy is working on building relations with its counterparts in South East Asian countries, a senior Naval official said today.
"We are the best suited instruments for the 'Look East' policy. A large number of naval ships from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and beyond visit our shores. We are also building up relations with them," Flag Officer-Commanding- Officer-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Suresh Mehta told reporters here.
Observing that the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean have become important sea lanes following increase in the movement of oil and cargo, he said Navy has carried out 'institutionalised patrolling' with Thailand and Malaysia to prevent terrorists, pirates and illegal movement of civilians in the straits of Malacca.
According to Mehta, there has been a reduction in the movement of contraband from Bangladesh following intensified vigil by the Navy.
In reply to a question, he said a 'type training' centre would be set up at Goa in collaboration with Russia to train figther pilots in 'Short Take-off But Arrested Recovery' (STOBAR) skills for 'INS Vikramaditya,' a refitted version of the Russian carrier 'Admiral Goshkov.' He said 'INS Vikramaditya' would be operational in the next two years and would have on board MIG-29K fighter aircraft, whose pilots are being trained in the US and later, in Goa.
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