Indian Navy building 46 warships: Vice Admiral Anil Chopra

VISAKHAPATNAM; Expressing confidence that India can build warships indigenously, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anil Chopra today said 46 warships are currently under construction in the country.

"Indian shipyards are capable of building warships. 46 warships of the Indian Navy are in different stages of construction at several shipyards in the country. More and more ships and aircraft are being inducted into the naval service to strengthen the country's maritime capacities," he said.

He was addressing a press conference on board INS Sahyadri on the eve of the Navy Day celebrations.

Replying to a query, he said the nuclear war submarine INS Arihant will join the naval services soon. "The submarine has to complete the sea trials," he said.

Chopra said that India was conducting naval exercises with the neighbouring countries and maintaining good diplomatic relations with them.

When asked whether China poses a threat to India's maritime security, the Vice Admiral answered in the negative. "China is a big country and her economic interests are different. Chinese ships are going all over the world. Our Indian ships are also visiting China. India is also conducting naval exercises with China," he said.

Chopra said the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) will celebrate the Navy Day on December 4 every year as it was on this day in 1971 that missile boats of the Indian Navy carried out an attack on Karachi Harbour during the Indo-Pak War.

Seventeen ships, eight types of aircraft and a submarine will take part in the Navy Day demonstration tomorrow, he said.