Chinese submarine docking at Pakistan no big concern: Navy

KOLKATA: Amidst reports that a Chinese submarine had crossed the Arabian Sea and entered Karachi port last month, the Indian Navy today said it was not a matter of big concern but they were monitoring all such activities.

"Docking of a submarine belonging to some other country in a third country itself is not a big concern but we do monitor them, whichever submarines operate in our region," Vice Admiral P Murugesan, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, told reporters here today.

India also has submarine capabilities and our submarines also go on dock in foreign countries, he said while speaking on sidelines of the launching ceremony of Navy's Water Jet Fast Attack Crafts by defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE).

"We monitor them and then we see what are the precautionary measures we should take," the naval officer said.

As far as naval cooperations are concerned, Murugesan said, "We are also having relations with numerous countries but we monitor in our neighbourhood who is interacting with which other navy. That is always briefed to the concerned authorities of the government and we do develop our navy to meet any challenges that might come out of such cooperation".

On naval build-up in India's neighbourhood, he said there is "no immediate concern".

"Our Navy is quite strong enough to look after our maritime interests in our area of interest," he said adding that the navy is like an ambassador as they can go anywhere.
On indigenisation, the navy vice chief said as of now the Navy was not building anything in foreign shipyards and the entire order of 48 ships was being built only in Indian shipyards in Mumbai, Kolkata, Goa among others.

"It is a proud moment that our country has come to this status that we could build all our warships in India itself," Vice Admiral P Murugesan said adding that the largest one, an aircraft carrier, was being built in Cochin shipyard.

"No other country in our neighbourhood is building such large ships," he said.

Stating that the economic development around our oceans was very important for national development, he said realising the importance of oceans, India was budgeting growth of the Navy in a sustained manner.