INDIA. Mumbai: Air Marshal D Choudhury, the Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi along with 113 officers undergoing the 61st National Security Studies Course at NDC, recently visited naval organizations in Mumbai, Goa, and Karwar as part of their study tour and familiarisation visit.
The NDC team is comprised officers from the Indian Armed Forces, Indian civil services, and military and civilian officers from friendly foreign countries.
The NDC team stayed in Mumbai for three days from September 13 to September 15. During this period, the officers visited Headquarters, Western Naval Command, Naval Dockyard, Mazagon Docks Ltd, Maritime Warfare Centre, Mumbai and were provided a briefing on the role and responsibilities of these organizations. They also embarked on warships of the Western Fleet for a demonstration of combat and rescue helicopter operations, actions against the asymmetric threat by Fast Attack Crafts, submarine operations, replenishment at sea, and weapon firing drills to get a first-hand experience of naval operations.
On September 16, the NDC team visited Goa and was briefed on the activities at Goa Naval Area. They were informed about different types of aircraft and were made to witness various air demonstrations viz., flypast, sling operations, and trap-on by MiG-29K at Shore Based Testing Facility (SBTF). Thereafter, the officers visited the Naval Aviation Museum.
On September 17, the NDC team visited naval facilities at Karwar and was briefed about Project Seabird. They embarked on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya for a guided tour and were also provided with capability demonstration at the ship lift facility at Naval Ship Repair Yard.
The NDC is a globally renowned defence institute, concentrating upon ‘security’ as a whole, rather than having limited scope to ‘defence’ alone. It is the highest Institution of advanced studies, not just for the Armed Forces alone, but for Civil Services officers as well. The NDC, which was founded in 1960, provides a forum for holistic studies on security for senior defence and Civil Services officers from India and several friendly foreign countries. Focused upon strategy, geopolitics, and the higher direction of warfare, it seeks to provide decision-makers with the necessary skills and knowledge required in senior positions in national security and allied government organizations.
Vijay Jyoti
In another development, the Vijay Jyoti (Victory Flame), reached Naval Base, Karwar on September 17, Friday. It was received by Rear Admiral Mahesh Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area at the war memorial, erected to honou those that made the supreme sacrifice during ‘Operation Vijay’. Personnel of the Indian Army and Indian Navy were present at the venue.
Swarnim Vijay Varsh is being celebrated across the nation to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the 1971 war victory. As part of the celebration, the Vijay Jyoti
will be in Karwar till September 24. Several ceremonies and activities have been planned onboard INS Vikramaditya, in schools, the local NCC unit, and the statue of Late Major Raghoba Rane, PVC at the Rabindranath Tagore beach during the stay of the Flame in Karwar (in Karnataka). Thereafter, the Flame will depart for Belgaum in Karnataka.
