Article Posted on : - Jun 18, 2014

VISAKHAPATNAM (PTI): Vice-Admiral Satish Soni, after taking over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command (ENC), has said that the Indian Navy personnel are working in challenging environment reflected on a string of recent accidents involving ships.

He took charge at a ceremonial parade held at the naval base in Visakhapatnam on June 16 and reviewed platoons of naval personnel drawn from various ships and establishments of the ENC.

The Vice-Admiral paid tributes at the Navy War Memorial on Beach Road to martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice in defence of the motherland.

Speaking after assuming charge, Soni said the Indian Navy is growing in strength and statue and responsibilities of the ENC had also increased manifold.

The future development of the Navy was largely visible on the eastern seaboard through the induction of nuclear platforms, frontline aircraft and stealth ships, he said.

"We need to focus on smooth integration of the new platforms and systems into operations and execution of supporting doctrines. But we must not forget that everything can't be new," he said.

"The security environment around us remains fragile with increasing threat to our units. It is the duty of every person to be vigilant at all times. You can expect a weak enemy to challenge us through unfair means," Soni said.

He said during the last year a number of accidents occurred in the Navy. These accidents are grim reminders of the challenging environment a sailor works in.

"Whenever something goes wrong, we must introspect, analyses and make amends so that the accidents do not recur.

A good measure of how well-trained a crew is can be gauged form the safety record of the unit," he added.