Indian Navy aims to have 160 warships and 33 aircraft by 2022

Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009

Indian Navy aims to be a 160-warship and 300-aircraft strong naval force by 2022, the Chief of Naval staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta said today.

"We have long term integrated perspective plan which has all the ships that we need to construct right upto 2022. By that time we should be a navy with powerful 160 warships and 300 aircraft,"he said on the sidelines of India&aposs first ever 105-meter class Naval offshore patrol vessel INS Saryu at the port town of Vasco.

Mehta said that Indian Navy is working out an action plan to augment its fleet strength.

Post Mumbai terror attacks, Indian navy has given more stress on smaller ships and setting up of structures for better coordination with other mechanism"to ensure peace and tranquility in the ocean around us", he said.

"The security is through three layers. The outermost layer is managed by Navy, off shore is by Indian Coast Guard and innermost layer has to be managed by state authorities," Admiral Mehta said.

The Naval Chief said all coastal states have been asked to set up coastal police stations.