First Woman Commanding Officer In A Naval Ship Appointed: Navy Chief Announces On Navy Day

Navy Day: Underlining the Navy's dedication to inclusivity, Admiral Kumar said the overall strength of women Agniveers had crossed the 1,000 mark.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar addresses a press conference ahead of the celebration of Navy Day, in New Delhi, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. ( Image Source :PTI )

Breaking the gender barrier, the Indian Navy recently appointed its first woman commanding officer in a naval ship in line with its commitment to 'all roles-all ranks' for female personnel in the service, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said on Friday. In a press conference ahead of Navy Day, Admiral Kumar highlighted the active engagement of Indian Navy vessels, submarines, and aircraft in strategic waters over the past year, and emphasised they have maintained a high operational tempo, PTI reported.

Regarding China's heightened presence in the Indian Ocean, Admiral Kumar assured that the Indian Navy was closely monitoring activities within the region.

"Our ships, submarines, and aircraft have sustained a high operational tempo - undertaking missions and tasks encompassing military, diplomatic, constabulary and benign roles," PTI quoted Admiral Kumar as saying.

"Our units were deployed across the Indian Ocean Region and beyond, to protect and promote our national interests," he further said.

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Highlighting the Navy's readiness and adaptability, the Navy chief called it a "combat-ready, credible, cohesive, and future-proof" force. 

"The Navy's sheer footprint of deployments has been satisfying as its ships have been persistently present across the Indo Pacific," he further said.

Underlining the Navy's dedication to inclusivity, Admiral Kumar said the overall strength of women Agniveers was now over the 1,000 mark. "These statistics stands testament to our philosophy of 'all roles, all ranks' approach to deployment of women in the service," he said.

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Admiral R Hari Kumar said all-out efforts were being made by the government to ensure the return of eight former Indian Navy personnel awarded death penalty on espionage charges in Qatar.

"We are working closely to ensure that their interests are looked after," Admiral Kumar said. "The government of India is putting all-out efforts to ensure they are brought back," PTI quoted the Navy chief as saying.