Kerala MLAs govt officials take part in mid-sea naval exercises

Kochi (Kerala) [India], October 28 : A group of MLAs from Kerala and Government officials visited Southern Naval Command, Kochi. The two-day event was aimed at providing a brief overview of the operations and training aspects of the Indian Navy with emphasis on challenges in the Maritime domain.
During the final day of the two-day event, participants onboarded the two Indian Navy Ships INS Delhi and INS Chennai, frontline warships of the Indian Navy, to witness and experience the operations of the Navy.
A total of 20 MLAs and nine government officials took part in the Navy exercise which gave a brief overview of the operational functioning and training aspects of the Indian Navy with emphasis on maritime strengths and challenges.

The major warships of Indian Navy -- INS Delhi and INS Chennai -- led the fleet which comprised of INS Tir, INS Trishul, INS Investigator, INS Sunayna and INS Kalpeni for a day-long live demonstration of its combat drills and air operations.

The delegates witnessed various combat drills, air operations, joint manoeuvres and other aspects of Maritime operations which were demonstrated by the Navy.
"The sea sortie was a culmination of the two-day interaction, visit, and meeting of the elected representatives of the Govt of Kerala. We had a total of about 20 MLAs, and 9 state government functionaries who are with us here in Kochi to better understand the aspects pertaining to the navy, the role, and the charter, to meet people, is not that they don't know, it but they would be better aware seeing things first hand," Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, AVSM, NM Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command said.
"The delegates visited the training establishments yesterday. They also visited INS Vikrant. And today they onboarded INS Delhi and INS Chennai," he added.
Kerala MLA and the former minister KT Jaleel, was also among the delegates, visited the naval ships.
"Two days visit at Navy headquarter was wonderful and amazing. We could closely touch with the Indian Navy and its achievements, understand and observe or imbibe their readiness, commitment and courage," KT Jaleel said. Adding that this type of visit will make new concepts in the minds of the visitors.
"I think this visit was arranged by the Indian Navy as per the direction from the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally took initiative to make this type of visit. I request to all members of the assembly that they should not miss the chances like these," KT Jaleel said further.
"Actually it's a wonderful experience that we MLAs divided into two groups, half of us gone in INS Delhi and half of us in INS Chennai. We have gone through like different experiences of what they are going to do. It's actually we got to know much more about the Indian Navy what they are going to do, what's their daily life and how they are sailing. It's a kind of training or orientation program you can say," Another MLA from Kerala Muhammad Muhassin said.
"Various drills they have shown and it's a very good experience for us. As we are coming from the legislative assembly, we had already gone through the scope of legislation in this maritime field. I am very thankful to Southern Command of the Indian Navy for giving us a wonderful opportunity," Muhammad Muhassin underlined.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned INS Vikrant and said that the country had gained expertise in high-grade steel whose use is increasing in critical strategic applications.
The Prime Minister was virtually speaking during the address at the 'Bhoomi pujan' of the expansion project of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India's flagship plant at Hazira in Gujarat's Surat district on Friday.