Naval dockyards role lauded

Visakhapatnam: Indian Navy’s Annual Refit Conference (ARC) and Annual Infrastructure Conference (AIC) was inaugurated here on Wednesday at Eastern Naval Command by the Chief of ENC Vice-Admiral, Karambir Singh. The two-day conference chaired by the Chief of Materiel, Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy), Vice-Admiral GS Pabby.

All the stake-holders representing the naval headquarters, three Naval Commands, Tri-Services Command at Port Blair, dockyards, repair yards and material organisations of the Navy. The delegates will deliberate upon refit plans for all ships and submarines of the Indian Navy scheduled during the next three years and formulate plans for infrastructure augmentation to meet growing requirements of the Indian Navy. 

While inaugurating the conference, the Vice-Admiral, Karambir Singh, appreciated the role of naval dockyards and repair yards in undertaking operational repairs and refits of ships and submarines. He highlighted the growing role of Indian Navy in the context of existing geo-political scenario and the central role of our combat platforms in ensuring secure seas for national prosperity and development.

In order to ensure high level of performance from equipment and sensors, he urged all agencies to work towards ensuring quality repairs, enhanced operational logistics and strict compliance with mandated routines. 

Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Admiral, Pabby, lauded the efforts of naval dockyards, materiel organisations, repair yards, trials and iagencies in ensuring operational availability of machinery, weapons and sensors, including emergent hull repairs during the past year.  

He urged all stake holders to remain focused and their timely completion whilst adopting new technologies and innovative repair methodologies particularly for legacy systems and equipment.  He also urged all concerned to focus on greater indigenisation in keeping with the spirit of the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The conference deliberated upon technical and logistics aspects concerning refits and towards developing a comprehensive maintenance philosophy for ensuring higher availability of combat platforms. The annual infrastructure review scheduled for tomorrow will draw up plans for modernisation and augmentation of infrastructure necessary for future induction of platforms pan navy.