Monday February 13 2006
VISHAKHAPATNAM: President A P J Abdul Kalam has underscored the need for framing of rules for governance and regulation of development within India’s maritime zone consistent with national security needs.
Addressing Naval officers aboard INS Sukanya after fly-past on the occasion of the Ninth edition of fleet review, the President, who is also the supreme commander of defence forces, said that after India adopted UN Convention on Law of Sea in 1995, it’s jurisdiction of maritime area has increased by two million sq km in the form of an exclusive economic zone.
“We have now full rights for its economic exploitation,” he said, adding that there was a pronounced need for mapping India’s maritime zone.
He called upon Indian Navy to work in collaboration with Department of Ocean Development for evolving a national plan for implementing economic development initiatives.
Expressing concern over accidents on high seas, he said that such tragedies would have telling effect on environment. To prevent accidents or minimise their effect, there was a need for international cooperation. Oil slicks on high seas were a major cause of worry. Marine biologists should be informed about oil slicks in real time so that they could plan using oil-eating microbes to clear the mess.
Lauding the role played by the Navy in guarding the country, the President felt that it should equip itself with high quality communication systems and weapons. He expressed satisfaction over the Navy working with DRDO and industries in the private and public sector to come up with high precision indigenous stealth platforms like sonars and radars.
He said that he looked forward to the future class of submarines being able to carry BrahMos and vertically launched missiles.
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