The second edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2022 is scheduled from 31 Oct to 03 Nov 22 at New Delhi. The conference serves as a platform for Naval Commanders to discuss important maritime matters at the military-strategic level through an institutionalised forum. Due to the dynamic and fast-paced developments in security imperatives in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as well as in other parts of the world, the Conference has its own significance and relevance.
Amongst many issues being discussed, the Chief of the Naval Staff, along with other Naval Commanders will review major Operational, Materiel, Logistics, Human Resource Development, Training and Administrative activities undertaken by the Indian Navy in the last few months and further deliberate upon future plans for important activities and initiatives. The conference would also dwell upon the dynamics of the geostrategic situation of the region and the Navy’s readiness to deal with the same.
The Navy has focused on being a Combat Ready, Credible and Cohesive force with a future-ready outlook and continues to assiduously execute its mandate. The Indian Navy has witnessed significant growth in its operational tasking over the years in consonance with India’s rising maritime interests. Indian Navy’s standing as the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ has also grown concomitantly in recent times. Indian Navy is poised to counter all maritime security challenges emerging due to uncertain geo-strategic situations in IOR and beyond.
During the Conference, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will address and interact with the Naval Commanders on matters pertaining to national security. The Chief of Defence Staff and the Chiefs of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force would also interact with the Naval Commanders to address the convergence of the three Services vis-à-vis the common operational environment, and avenues of augmenting Tri-Service synergy and readiness towards the defence of the nation and India’s national interests.
Naval Technology Acceleration Council (NTAC) the apex body of the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) held its 2nd meeting at New Delhi on 23 March 2022. Chaired by VAdm SN Ghormade, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, the NTAC reviewed the ongoing and proposed indigenisation and innovation cases.
On an average more than two IPR applications have been filed by naval personnel every month since the launch of the NIIO by the Hon’ble RakshaMantri on 13 August 2020. Patent applications have been filed for military specific as well as dual-use innovations. Many dual use products have also already been transferred to the MSMEs for mass production through the National Research & Development Corporation (NRDC) and the Rashtriya Raksha University
Indian Navy has been at the forefront of indigenisation with a fully functional and dynamic Directorate of Indigenisation. Additionally, a technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has been created under NIIO to focus on innovation.
Major initiatives towards Indigenisation include industry outreach programmes (conducted at Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar and Coimbatore) and the proposal set up a center for Indigenisation and Self-Reliance (CISR).
TDAC also engages with the academia and the industry in addition to channeling in-house naval innovations. An online monthly interaction with the industry in coordination with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) has also been instituted. Deep tech startups are also being recognised as ‘lnnovation Industry Partners’ and are provided to better understand naval requirements.
To engage young minds in premier educational institutions the ‘Indian Naval Students Technical Engagement Programme’ (IN STEP) provides a five month online internship to work on naval problem statements. An ‘open challenge’ under IN STEP was announced during the NTAC meeting and will be undertaken in partnership with SIDM and BharatShakti.in. An MoU was signed between the three organisations to this effect.
Doordarshan has come up with several innovations to undertake one of the most challenging coverage of the Presidential review of the Indian Navy’s fleet on February 21.
President Ram Nath Kovind will review the Indian Navy’s fleet at a ceremonial event at Visakhapatnam on February 21, 2022. The event will witness the participation of nearly 60 vessels of the Navy, including ships from Indian Coast Guard and Indian Merchant Marine, aircrafts from the Navy and the Coast Guard. The Review also commemorates the 75th year of Independence with the theme ‘Indian Navy – 75 years in Service of the Nation’.
Doordarshan’s coverage of Presidential Fleet Review this year will register many firsts to its credit as it includes vast array of multi-camera set up on land and water with at least 30 cameras including Drones with special lenses being used to streamline the broadcast from land and sea while ensuring seamless connectivity.
Various elements of the Fleet Review comprises of anchorage, a steam past in a mobile column, a fly past and parade of sails, different formations of large columns of vessels etc. All of this will be captured by DD Cameras deployed on land and sea.
Doordarshan and All India Radio have been preparing for this mega coverage since October 2021. Teams have done extensive site surveys, carried out extensive recce around the venue prior to final deployment on land and sea.
Multi-camera set up includes beautiful special vantage points on the hills, high rise buildings and near the shorelines of Visakhapatnam. DD crew has been positioned on 5 such critical points to provide Live visuals. The entire coverage will be in High Definition format.
Grappling with challenging environment at the sea, team of DD Engineers by identifying multiple and critical camera positions will bring to life the Indian Navy’s full might and prowess. On 5 ships, DD Crew has been deployed to provide Live shots of the President’s Yacht during the ceremony. Drones, Backpacks, Wireless, signal streaming and satellite uplinks are being done at the Sea to ensure the seamless live broadcast of the prestigious event.
On President’s yacht, High Definition camcorders and PTZ cameras have been deployed. To enhance Viewers’ experience, specialized lenses and state of the art high resolution PTZ cameras have been installed.
The grand stand Master control room has been set up at All India Radio Visakhapatnam. The grand stand will receive all the camera sources from the Land and the Sea using RF, backpacks, data links and satellite down-linking.
The High Definition visuals will be made more engaging through graphics and battery of professional commentators who will be elaborating upon every detail in Hindi and English as the event unfolds, from AIR control Room.
Uninterrupted Live coverage running into almost 3 hours will be broadcast on DD National, DD News, DD India and multiple regional channels of DD, starting from 8.30 AM on February 21 till the end of the events. The entire coverage will also be available through live-streaming on our YouTube platforms.
Naval Investiture Ceremony to felicitate naval personnel who have demonstrated gallant acts, leadership, professional achievements and distinguished service of high order was conducted at Varunika Auditorium, INS India, New Delhi on 03 Feb 22. Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, on behalf of the President of India, conferred the Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards announced on Independence Day – 21 and Republic Day – 21 to the recipients.
A total of 14 medals which included two Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), five Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), Five Vishisht Seva Medal (Long Meritorious Service), One Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and One Jeevan Raksha Padak (for acts of courage and self-sacrifice) were awarded.
The event is traditionally conducted as a ceremonial parade centrally for all awardees of the Indian Navy. However, in view of the prevailing pandemic, the Naval Investiture Ceremony is being conducted locally by each Command of the Navy. The award ceremony was witnessed by a limited number of senior dignitaries of the Indian Navy, spouses and families of the awardees.
As the Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulab’ formed in the Bay of Bengal is expected to make landfall between North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha coast in the next 12 hours, the Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of the Cyclonic Storm. Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command, and Naval Officers-in-Charge Odisha Area have carried out preparatory activities to combat the effects of Cyclone and is in constant liaison with the State Administrations for rendering assistance as required.
As part of the preparedness, Flood Relief Teams and Diving Teams are prepositioned at Odisha and are ready at Visakhapatnam to render immediate assistance. Two Naval ships are at sea with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) material and medical teams to render assistance in the most affected areas. Naval aircraft are kept ready at Naval Air Stations, INS Dega at Visakhapatnam and INS Rajali near Chennai to undertake an aerial survey of the most affected areas, casualty evacuation, and airdrop of relief material as required.
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