Indian Navy bids adieu to 2020 with firm commitment to protect nation's interests at sea

The Indian Navy on Thursday, December 31, reiterated its commitment to protecting the nation’s interests at sea and fighting adversities throughout the year as it bid goodbye to 2020.

Paying tribute to the determination of the cohesive force, the navy recalled its efforts in defending the country’s sovereignty, reassuring the Indian diaspora by carrying out crucial operations such as Samudra Setu and Mission Sagar during the COVID-19 pandemic and building the trust of friendly nations through joint naval exercises.

The Spokesperson of the Indian Navy took to his official Twitter account to share a compilation of diverse actions taken by the maritime forces over the year.

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The Indian Navy is a well-balanced and cohesive three-dimensional force, capable of operating above, on and under the surface of the oceans, efficiently safeguarding our national interests. The Navy has three commands under the control of a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief namely, The western Naval Command (Headquarters at Mumbai), The Eastern Naval Command (Headquarters at Vishakhapatnam), and The Southern Naval Command (Headquarters at Kochi).

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Indian Navy to get bigger with SSBN ARIGHAT

The bigger, improved and better-armed Arighat is in the final stages of sea trials and is likely to be commissioned into service early next year. After teething troubles, India’s nuclear submarine programme — the country’s costliest defence project, monitored directly by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval — has made big strides in recent years. With the Arihant-class project now working at “assembly-line pace”, the programme has also got a new vertical — SSNs or nuclear-powered submarines which, unlike the SSBNs, are armed with missiles with conventional warheads. 

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The next two SSBNs after INS Arihant and Arighat, identified as S4 and S4* for now, are under construction at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam and are likely to enter service with the Indian Navy sometime around 2024. These two boats will displace at least 1,000 tons more than the 6,000 tonne INS Arihant. 

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