Induction of INS Kolkata places India in advantageous position: Manish Tewari

Congress leader Manish Tewari said today that the induction of INS Kolkata into the Indian Navy adds advantage to India's existing naval strength.

"India's maritime strategic space extends from the Straits of Hormuz to the Straits of Malacca. It is India's eminent domain. India sits on the head of the Indian Ocean. So, therefore, if there is any augmentation of India's naval strength, of India's maritime strength, it works to our advantage. Coupled with that, there is also a spectre that there is a power play that is happening in the South China and in the East China Sea. There is a balance of U.S. posture towards Asia; there is China's growing assertiveness. So, therefore, the obvious breakout of this trajectory would be towards the Indian Ocean," Tewari told ANI.

"So, under those circumstances, India has to ensure as to how the Indian Ocean is eminently protected and preserved as a zone of peace, whereby, not only the sea lines of communication, but most importantly, India's strategic sweep from the Hormuz to the Malacca remains protected," he added.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted INS Kolkata into the Indian Navy in Mumbai.

The INS Kolkata is the first of three destroyers to be built by Mazagon Dock Limited under project 15 A. The other two destroyers are the INS Kochi and the INS Chennai.