The Government in last few years has paid a focused attention on strengthening the defence sector, which special focus on replacing the foreign-made things, imported from other countries, with those made in the country thereby supporting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding self-dependent nation. Not only land and skies, but even the defence over the seas has been strengthened significantly, to ensure safety and tranquility of the nation. In this regard, Indian Navy’s major Operational level exercise TROPEX for the year 2023, conducted across expanse of IOR over duration of four months culminated in the Arabian Sea. The overall exercise construct included Coastal Defence exercise Sea Vigil and the Amphibious Exercise AMPHEX. Together, these exercises also witnessed significant participation from the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Coast Guard. Set in the Indian Ocean including the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the theatre of operations for the exercise extended approximately 4300 nm from North to South upto 35 deg South Latitude and 5000 nm from Persian Gulf in the West to North Australia coast in the East, spanning an area of over 21 million square nautical miles. TROPEX 23 witnessed participation of approximately 70 Indian Navy ships, six submarines and over 75 aircraft. The culmination of TROPEX 23 brings to an end an intense operational phase for the Indian Navy that commenced in November 2022. As part of the final Joint Phase, the Raksha Mantri spent a day at sea onboard the newly commissioned Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant on March 6, 23. He reviewed the Indian Navy’s operational preparedness and material readiness wherein the Navy demonstrated operational manoeuvers and various facets of combat operations, including deck operations of indigenous LCA and live weapon firings. While addressing the Fleets, he lauded the Operational preparedness of the Indian Navy and emphasized that the country looks up to the Navy to ensure that the economic lifelines and military capabilities of our adversaries are disrupted to the extent where their war-fighting endeavours can no longer be sustained. He also stated that he is fully reassured that Indian Navy is wholly capable of safeguarding India’s national interests in the maritime domain and will thwart the diabolical designs of any potential adversaries who seek to threaten India’s peaceful existence. The Defence Minister complimented Indian Navy for being at the forefront of ‘Make in India’ Initiative and leveraging the path of Atmanirbharta to be ‘Combat Ready, Credible, Cohesive and Future Proof’.
