Tuesday February 14 2006
VISHAKAPATNAM: An impressive march-past by more than a dozen contingents drawn from various battleships of the Indian Navy marked the presentation of President’s Nishaan to the Eastern Fleet by President APJ Abdul Kalam on Monday morning.
This is for the first time the Eastern Fleet was presented President’s Nishaan. The Naval base wore a festive look with the tricolour and Indian Navy’s flag fluttering at the Parade Ground where the ceremony took place.
Kalam received a ceremonial reception with a 21-gun salute and after the inspection of the Guard of Honour; the President’s Nishaan was brought to the Parade Ground ceremoniously and placed on the ten drums belonging to Dholak Toli.
After the chanting of hymns and verses by Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh priests, Kalam presented the Nishaan to Lt Hemanth Gopal representing the Eastern Fleet.
Holding their rifles, officers and sailors took part in the march-past. It ended with a fly-past by three aircraft of Sagar Pawan.
Addressing the gathering, Kalam called for integration of national capabilities to strengthen the country’s security and enable people to live in peace. “For this, we need to have economic prosperity and national security."
India occupying a central position among the nations of the Indian Ocean region and holding a position of geo-strategic importance had a vital stake in preservation of peace and security, he said.
Kalam assured that the Government would provide all resources needed for making the Eastern Fleet technologically and operationally strong and efficient as the modern-day warfare was driven by technology.
He lauded the Eastern Naval Command for having a full-fledged operational command to safeguard the country against aggression on the eastern front and also provide security to the Indian Territory, ports, harbours, oil platforms, and maritime assets and resources in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“Over 200 mercantile ships carrying cargo including 10 million barrels of crude oil, transit through the Malacca Straits every day and depend on the Indian Navy for their safe passage.
“Displaying a sustained presence of naval forces in the area of responsibility is thus another vital functional requirement of the ENC,” the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces said.
Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Union Ministers of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh and M M Pallamraju, Army Chief J J Singh, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi and Navy Chief Adm. Arun Prakash and other senior officials were present.
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