Peeved over the recent naval exercises between the navies of India and the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea, the Chinese military on Thursday said defence cooperation between different countries should not harm the interests of third countries and regional peace. Answering a question from Chinese official media about naval exercises between an Indian naval ship and the Philippines naval vessel besides plans by France to hold naval and air drills with the Philippine Navy, Spokesman of the Chinese Defence Ministry Senior Col Wu Qian said China has taken note of the reports. China has always emphasised that defence and security cooperation between relevant countries must not harm the interests of third parties or hurt regional peace and stability, he said. China is getting restive about military cooperation between the Philippines and other countries as its coastguard ships recently involved face-offs with Philippines navy vessels to assert Beijing's control over the parts o
Notably, these measures are being taken in the wake of the attack by a suspected drone on merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto on December 23
INS Imphal is the first Indian warship named after a city in the northeast
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh promises action against those responsible for the drone attack on merchant navy ship and reassures the public on stringent measures taken to strengthen the Navy
The Indian Navy's explosive ordnance disposal team on Monday carried out a detailed inspection of merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto on its arrival at Mumbai harbour, two days after the ship was hit by a drone off India's west coast in the Arabian Sea when it was on its way to New Mangalore port. In view of spate of attacks on commercial vessels in the Arabian Sea, the Navy deployed P-8I long-range patrol aircraft for surveillance, and warships INS Mormugao, INS Kochi and INS Kolkata in the region to maintain "deterrent presence", officials said. Saturday's drone attack on Liberian-flagged MV Chem Pluto came amid increasing concerns over various commercial vessels being targeted reportedly by Iran-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Liberian-flagged vessel with 21 Indian and one Vietnamese crew, anchored at outer anchorage off Mumbai at 3:30 pm. "On her arrival, the Indian Navy explosive ordnance disposal team inspected the vessel
The Indian Navy's explosive ordnance disposal team on Monday carried out a detailed inspection of merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto on its arrival in Mumbai, two days after it was hit by a drone off India's west coast in the Arabian Sea. Analysis of the area of attack and debris found on the ship pointed towards a drone attack and further forensic and technical analysis will be required to ascertain all the details, Navy officials said. The commercial vessel, with 21 Indian crew members, was struck by a drone about 217 nautical miles from Porbandar on Saturday following which both the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard deployed a number of assets to provide assistance to the ship. In view of the spate of recent attacks on commercial vessels in Arabian Sea, the Navy deployed warships INS Mormugao, INS Kochi and INS Kolkata to maintain a deterrent presence in the region, the officials said. Long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8Is are being regularly tasked to maintain domain
The event marks the formal induction into the Navy of the third of four 'Visakhapatnam' class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy's in-house organisation, Warship Design Bureau
The Indian Navy has launched an investigation into a suspected drone strike on a Mangalore-bound cargo vessel off India's west coast in the Arabian sea even as the merchant ship is on its way to Mumbai, officials familiar with the matter said on Sunday. The Navy and the Indian Coast Guard swung into action by deploying their assets including a warship and maritime patrol aircraft on Saturday soon after the UK Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, reported the drone "attack" on MV Chem Pluto that has around 20 Indian crew members. There was no report of any casualty in the incident. The Liberian flagged vessel is now on its way to Mumbai and Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is providing security to it, the officials said. The Navy has launched an investigation into the incident including into the origin of the strike, said an official on the condition of anonymity as the matter is sensitive in nature. The vessel, carrying crude oil to the New Mangalore port from the Al Jubail po
The incident marks the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since October 17, CENTCOM said in its statement
A suspected drone attack on a merchant vessel with 21 Indian crew in the Arabian Sea off India's west coast caused an explosion on Saturday but there was no report of any casualties in the incident, according to military sources and a maritime agency. A P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, deployed by the Indian Navy after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, reported the incident, ascertained the safety of the vessel and its crew, Indian military sources said. An attack by Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) on a vessel 200 nautical miles South West of Veraval, India, caused "an explosion and fire", the UKMTO said on its website. Indian Navy officials said a maritime patrol aircraft sent to the area flew overhead the merchant vessel and established contact with it. "The aircraft ascertained the safety of the vessel and its crew," said a Navy official. The Navy has already dispatched a frontline warship for safety of the cargo vessel. It is learnt that the Indian Coast Guar
A suspected drone attack led to an explosion and a fire on a merchant ship with 21 Indians onboard off the Gujarat coast on Saturday morning, disrupting its power supply, Coast Guard sources said. The 22-member crew and the vessel, Chem Pluto, are safe, they said. The ship was on its way to New Mangalore from Saudi Arabia, the sources said. The fire has been extinguished and the ship's engineers are working to restore its electricity supply which got disrupted in the incident, they said. Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram, which was on Exclusive Economic Zone patrol, was diverted to the site, they said. The MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) Mumbai received an email from the ship's agent, Fleet Management, about a fire on board suspected due to a drone attack 217 nautical miles off Porbandar at around 10 am, said an official from the maritime security agency. The vessel has 21 Indians, including the master, and a Nepali citizen, the official added. The crew could extinguish
Taking swift action, the Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS Vikram, deployed on patrol of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone started moving towards the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in distress
India issued a letter of request in October for acquisition of 22 single-seat jets and four twin-seat trainers
Cochin Shipyard Limited signed a Rs 488.25 crore contract with the Defence ministry for repair and maintenance of equipment onboard naval vessels
The injured crew member has a bullet injury near his shoulder and has been taken to Oman for specialised treatment under the care of Indian Navy doctors
The Indian Navy has evacuated one of the 18 crew members onboard a Malta-flagged hijacked cargo vessel off the coast of Somalia to provide medical care after he was injured by the pirates, officials said on Tuesday. It is learnt that the sailor, a Bulgarian national, was injured in firing by the pirates. The sailor was evacuated by frontline ship INS Kochi. "The Indian Navy rendered assistance in evacuation of an injured crew member from the hijacked vessel MV Ruen in the early hours of Monday," said an official. "The injured crew member had sustained injuries during the piracy incident but was reported to be stable. Towards ensuring his safety, the Indian Navy ship was successful in ensuring his release by the hijackers," he added. The official said the injured sailor has been taken to Oman. "The injured crew member was medically managed onboard the ship but due to urgent medical attention required, which was beyond the scope of the ship, he has been transferred ashore at Oman,"
Interested and qualified applicants for the INCET 2024 can register online through the official website at joinindiannavy.gov.in for 910 vacancies
The Indian Navy is reeling under a shortage of 10,896 personnel including 1,777 officers, according to details provided by the defence ministry in Parliament on Friday. Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt also said 9,119 posts of sailors are lying vacant in the Navy as on October 31. He said the shortage in the officer-rank is 1,777. The sanctioned strength of officers and sailors in the Navy is 11,979 and 76,649. Bhatt said a total of 323 officers were recruited in 2021 while the number in 2022 was 386. In 2021, 5,547 sailors were inducted into the Navy. The number in 2022 was 5,171, he added. To a separate question, he said a technology development fund to provide financial assistance to Indian industries, startups as well as academic and scientific institutions for the development of defence and dual use technologies. The fund is also aimed at engaging the private industries especially MSMEs and startups to bring in the culture of de
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced the Navy will name its ranks in line with Indian traditions and asserted the country is moving forward abandoning the slavery mentality. He expressed his government's commitment to increasing the numerical strength of women in the armed forces and hailed the appointment of a female officer to command a naval ship for the first time. Paying tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for his vision and warfare strategy, he noted the 17th century Maratha king knew the importance of naval power. The PM was speaking at a Navy Day event held at Malvan in coastal Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, around 500km from Mumbai. Earlier in the day, Modi extended greetings on Navy Day, saying the commitment of navy personnel in safeguarding India's seas is a testament to their unwavering dedication to duty and love for the nation. "We are emphasising on increasing the number of women in the armed forces," he said at the event in Malvan held in the
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the government is committed to increasing the strength of women in the armed forces. He was speaking at the Navy Day event held in coastal Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. We are emphasising increasing the number of women in the armed forces, he said. Today, India is setting bigger targets for itself and is utilising its full potential to achieve those targets," he said. Modi said India is giving unprecedented support to port-led development. "Merchant shipping is also being encouraged. India is moving towards utilising the potential of its oceans," he said. He said ranks in the Indian Navy would be renamed according to the Indian culture. Shortly before the Navy Day event, Modi unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot fort in the district. Modi later witnessed the operational demonstrations by Indian Navy ships, submarines, aircraft and Special Forces from the Tarkarli beach.