This time around 60 foreign navies are expected to participate in the event sending around 70 warships
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R.K. Dhowan, along with Commander-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command Vice-Admiral Satish Soni inspects the arrangements being made for the upcoming International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam on Friday. (Photo: DC)
Visakhapatnam: Chief of Naval Staff R.K. Dhowan, who is on a two-day visit to Eastern Naval Command (ENC), reviewed the arrangements being made for the prestigious International Fleet Review (IFR) scheduled to be held in Vizag in February next year with the local naval officials here on Friday.
He visited the Beach Road and RK Beach, the main venue to have first hand on ground information about the arrangements. He also visited Andhra University Engineering College grou-nds where helipads are planned for the movement of VVIPs who are going to attend the mega event which will be held from Feb. 4 to 8.
Mr Dhowan had a detailed discussion about the operational demonstration planned during IFR and receiving of foreign dignitaries, also the VVIP dignitaries’ movement.
He also reviewed Indian Navy’s tableau being planned to put on display on the occasion. It was in 2001 that the first and last IFR was held off Mumbai coast when K.R. Naryanan was the President of India. In Mumbai’s IFR, 97 ships, 7 submarines and 54 aircraft of the Indian Navy including various other navies participated. ENC having headquarters at Vizag, hosted the President’s Fleet Review (PFR) in 2006.
This time around 60 foreign navies are expected to participate in the event sending around 70 warships. Last time, navies of Malaysia, France, Oman, Kenya and Russia sent two ships each. Navies of the USA, UK, South Africa, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Singapore, Thailand, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Australia, Morocco, Poland and Japan sent one each ship for the five-day event.
Mr Dhowan chaired the annual general meeting of Naval Group Insurance Fund and Indian Naval Benevolent Association at Meghadri Auditorium, Naval Dockyard.
Naval Group Insurance Scheme was introduced to provide financial assistance to the families in the event of unfortunate death of naval personnel while in service. Indian Naval Benevolent Association provides loans for education, marriage, house repair and scholarships.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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