Article Posted on : - Nov 14, 2011

SHIVPURI, MP (PTI): Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma asserted that India's naval force is one of the strongest in the world.

"Our navy is one of the strongest forces, not just in west Asia, but in the entire world," Verma said, when asked where the Indian Navy stands as compared to Pakistan.

Verma was speaking after inaugurating a health-camp on Sunday organised by the navy. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Jyotiraditya Scindia was also present on the occasion.

On the issue of fighting the piracy menace, Verma said, "At present, 16 countries, including India, have launched anti-piracy operations and the Indian Navy has so far arrested 120 Somali pirates."

Talking about a couple of vessels that had run aground on the Mumbai coast in succession a few months back, the navy chief said, the incidents had taken place due to some technical problems. "There was no breach of security involved in those incidents," the navy chief said.

When asked about the rising pollution levels in the sea, he said, "The navy is extending active cooperation to all those agencies involved in eliminating pollution from the sea."

Verma added that the intention behind holding the health-camps was to reach the common man and attract the youths to the naval force.