‘Navy didn’t get actionable intel’
BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
Dec. 2: Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta on Tuesday admitted that there had been a "systemic failure" in the country due to which the Mumbai terror attacks took place that has resulted in public outrage.
Admiral Mehta stated that the Navy had not received any "actionable" intelligence inputs from intelligence agencies before the Mumbai terror attacks. "There is a lacuna that exists (in coastal security). We will work to sort it out. There will be an appropriate action and response (to the situation)," Admiral Mehta said.
The naval chief indicated that transponders would need to be installed in Indian fishing trawlers so that the government could keep a track of the movements of the trawlers, in view of the Mumbai terror attacks that took place from the sea route. "There are about 1.5 lakh fishing trawlers in the country. Of these, 50,000 are in Gujarat and Maharashtra. About 5,000 people are coming in and going out on a daily basis," pointed out the Navy Chief.
He said that if there was a need felt that the Coast Guard should operate under the operational requirement of the Navy, that too could be considered. On intelligence inputs, he felt that these should be "actionable and specific". Special units of the Navy are currently conducting patrols off the Gujarat coast, it was indicated. Top naval sources also indicated that the Navy would need a communication satellite and that an order had been placed with the Isro already.
The communication satellite is expected to become operational in 18 months.
The naval chief also indicated that the country would need a "more powerful armed forces" and indicated that there should not be a fall in defence expenditure since "money should be there for equipment". He pointed out that the country was sitting at the "high table" globally after the Indo-US nuclear deal.
He said 32 ships and six submarines are currently being built and that more frigates too were being built. Admiral Mehta added that the two tankers are also being built with Italian help and that more submarines will also be acquired by the Navy.