Port Blair, Aug 21:Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility Ship, INLCU L-52 has been commissioned and inducted into the A & N Command’s fleet today. At a commissioning ceremony, held at Indian Naval Jetty, Haddo, here today, the Lt. Governor, A & N Islands, Prof.Jagdish Mukhi, chief guest of the function, commissioned the ship by unveiling her name plate and dedicated her to the service of the nation. The Ship is commanded by Cdr Kaushik Chatterjee.Port Blair, Aug 21:Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility Ship, INLCU L-52 has been commissioned and inducted into the A & N Command’s fleet today. At a commissioning ceremony, held at Indian Naval Jetty, Haddo, here today, the Lt. Governor, A & N Islands, Prof.Jagdish Mukhi, chief guest of the function, commissioned the ship by unveiling her name plate and dedicated her to the service of the nation. The Ship is commanded by Cdr Kaushik Chatterjee.
The First Lady of the Islands, Smt. Prem Mukhi, Commander-in-Chief, A&N Command, Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, Chairman and Managing Director GRSE Kolkata, Rear Admiral (Retd.) VK Saxena, Senior Officers from Defence and A&N Administration were also present on the occasion.
Commissioning the ship, the Lt. Governor said the strategic location of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean Region, their distance from the mainland and the propensity of the region for natural calamities calls for a formidable defence infrastructure. The Andaman & Nicobar Command works hand in hand with the Andaman & Nicobar Administration to attain self reliance in these islands. For ensuring security of the maritime borders, maintaining a constant vigil and surveillance of these islands is a must, he said.
The Lt. Governor said that the induction of the new amphibious vessel, with state-of-the-art technology and equipments will surely augment the maritime security, humanitarian relief capabilities, ability to conduct search and rescue operations and disaster relief operations of the Andaman & Nicobar Command. “This would enhance our reach to the far-fledged islands, in time of need and also for ensuring the presence of our forces on those islands”, he said.
Lauding the role of the Command in relief and rescue operations in the Islands, the Lt. Governor said the Command, ever since its inception has played an important role in all facets of life in these islands. It has always been on the forefront of the entire spectrum of activities, from search and rescue operations to humanitarian and disaster relief management as well as providing logistic supports to remote islands. The induction of the Ship would surely enhance operational capability of the Command, he said.
The Lt. Governor said, the Navy’s strength at sea is determined by the technological strength ashore. “Our indigenous capability alone can provide us real strength at sea. The fact that we are able today to commission a state-of-the-art warship like L-52 endowed almost entirely with Indian capability, in term of her design and construction, power generation package and more importantly, her weapon and sensors, is an eloquent testimony of our nation’s technological prowess and the skill of its work-force”, he said.
The Lt. Governor later went round inside the ship and was apprised about the various facilities, such as communication, navigation, armaments etc. He extended his wishes of victories in all endeavours to the Commanding Officer, officers and sailors of L-52.
Speaking on the occasion, the Commander-in-Chief, A & N Command, Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM, said that the busy and strategic location of these islands and the huge maritime foot prints indicate the need to enhance the maritime security capability. The primary role of L-52 will be to transport, deploy and recover troops and armament from ship to shore and vice versa, during amphibious operations. The ship will significantly enhance the sealift capability of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, which is most essential for Amphibious operations and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions, he added.
Rear Admiral (Retd.) V K Saxena, Chairman & Managing Director, Garden Reach Ship Builders & Engineers, Kolkata while speaking on the occasion informed that L-52 is the second of the eight Mark IV class Navy ships being built by GRSE Kolkata. The first one was commissioned in March this year while by end of this year, L-53 and L-54 will be delivered to A & N Command. The remaining six ships will be built and deliver in the next two years, he said adding that GRSE has long years association with the Indian Navy.
The Commander of the Ship, Cdr Kaushik Chatterjee read out the Commissioning Order of the Ship to the august gathering on the occasion and the commissioning ceremony concluded with the National Anthem.
