President on board the INS Viraat Patil lauds navy for its exemplary role

Mumbai: The President of India, Pratibha Patil, was a special guest of the Western Naval Command Wednesday when she visited the country's only aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, and congratulated the personnel of the Indian navy for its prompt action during emergencies.

In an address aboard the INS Viraat , Patil said, "The nation reposes implicit faith in the capability and capacity of our maritime forces to protect our sea frontiers and to provide a peaceful environment for maritime trade and other activities."

Praising the navy for acting with alacrity in all situations, be it humanitarian assistance after the tsunami or safe evacuation of personnel from Lebanon, Patil said that in present times, "an issue of global concern is the piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

The presence of our warships in the area has instilled a sense of confidence in the shipping industry. We now have requests from other countries in the region for increased assistance in surveillance of their Exclusive Economic Zone."

The strategic location of India's island territories along the major sea lanes of communication in the Indian Ocean makes it a stabilising force in the region, said the president.

She said she was confident of the navy's efforts to enhance coastal security, especially after the terror attacks in Mumbai last year. It is a "grim reminder of the harm that can be perpetuated through the use of the sea route by elements inimical to India."

The Indian navy and other stakeholders in the maritime domain are playing a proactive role to bring about synergy and establish standard operating procedures to prevent the re-occurrence of such an incident, she said.

Patil, the supreme commander of the nation's armed forces, arrived by helicopter which landed on the naval ship that was anchored off shore.