Indian Navy’s latest Naval Base INS Aravali was commissioned at Gurugram (Haryana), which is at a distance of more than one thousand kilometers from the Sea., on Friday. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, his wife Shashi Tripathi , Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan and Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti were among the senior most officers present on the occasion.
In an impressive commissioning ceremony, Admiral Tripathi was presented with a 50-men Guard of Honour. Captain Sachin Kumar Singh, the first Commanding Officer of the unit, recited the invocation in Sanskrit followed by reading of the commissioning warrant. After the unveiling of the commissioning plaque by Shashi Tripathi, President of Navy Wives Welfare Association (NWWA), the Naval Ensign was hoisted to the tune of the National Anthem. With the last note of the National Anthem, the commissioning pennant was broken on the mast.
In his address the Indian Navy Chief Adm Tripathi stated that INS Aravali provides the foundation for a robust administrative and logistical support, commensurate with the increasing scale and sophistication of facilities, thereby ensuring seamless operations. Adm Tripathi said , “This new base would not only be a hub of technology, but also of collaboration linking our platforms and partners across the oceans, a true embodiment of our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s collaborative vision of MAHASAGAR, or Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, and would further strengthen India’s role as the Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region”
Congratulating the Commanding Officer and commissioning crew CNS exhorted them to uphold the Navy’s core values of Duty, Honour, and Courage, “as you chart your course towards Excellence through Information Dominance”
INS Aravali, deriving its name from the unwavering Aravali range, shall support various information and communication centres of the Indian Navy which are key to India’s and Indian Navy’s command, control and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) framework.
Guided by the motto ‘सामुद्रिकसुरक्षायाः सहयो
The Crest of the base comprises central mountain imagery perfectly symbolising the unwavering and strong Aravali Range, and the rising sun representing eternal vigilance, resilience and energy, in addition to the dawn of niche technological capabilities in the field of Communications and MDA.Thus, the Crest embodies the steadfast commitment of the Base to facilitate eternal vigilance in order to defend India’s maritime interests.
