In a significant update regarding the Indian Navy’s operational demonstrations, Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), announced that an operational demonstration will be held at RK Beach in Visakhapatnam on January 4, 2025. This event will serve as a replacement for the traditional Navy Day operational demonstration, which typically occurs on December 4.
During a press conference at the ENC base, Vice Admiral Pendharkar elaborated on the celebrations for Navy Day 2024, noting that this year, the Eastern Naval Command will host the event in Odisha. The operational demonstration, featuring ships, submarines, and aircraft from the ENC, is set to take place at Golden Beach in Puri. The President of India is expected to be the chief guest for this prestigious occasion, with all arrangements already in place.
Despite the shift in the demonstration venue, Vice Admiral Pendharkar emphasized that the people of Visakhapatnam will not miss out. The January event at RK Beach is anticipated to be a significant occasion, with Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu slated to be the chief guest. Additionally, several other events are planned in Visakhapatnam as part of the Navy Week celebrations, including a musical concert, a special visit for children to naval ships, interactions with veterans, and the much-awaited Navy Marathon scheduled for December 15 on Beach Road.
Vice Admiral Pendharkar also reflected on the achievements and developments within the ENC over the past year. He reported that three ships – INS Sumitra, INS Sumedha, and INS Shivalik – were instrumental in operations in the Arabian Sea, where they played crucial roles in the rescue of 59 personnel from hijacked vessels and the apprehension of 20 Somali pirates. The INS Shivalik was actively involved in real-time combat situations, providing anti-missile defense for merchant vessels threatened by Houthi rebel attacks.
Highlighting the importance of India’s coastal regions, Vice Admiral Pendharkar pointed out that approximately 25% of the Indian population resides along these shores. Furthermore, he noted that 90% of India’s trade by volume and over 70% of the country’s energy requirements pass through the Indian Ocean, underscoring the necessity for India to be regarded as a large island state. The area of responsibility for the ENC has expanded significantly since its establishment as a small outpost in Visakhapatnam in 1968, now covering a vast coastline of 2,562 kilometers and stretching from the East Coast of India to the Western Pacific and the Southern Indian Ocean.
He also discussed the Sagarmala Project, which has led to a remarkable 65% increase in capacity across major ports over the last decade and an impressive 87% rise in cargo handling capacities. This project is pivotal, especially since the Indo-Pacific region, which houses 65% of the world’s population and accounts for 62% of global GDP, is central to international trade, featuring nine of the ten busiest ports and seven of the top ten export destinations worldwide.
