In a first, Admiral RK Dhowan on New Delhi inaugurated the 'Conclave of Chiefs' on the sidelines of the Naval Commanders' Conference.
The meet, making its debut on the naval calendar, provided an opportunity for the former chiefs to interact with the commanders and other senior officers and be apprised of the latest developments in Indian Navy and its future plans.
A key take-away from the Conclave was the guidance and views that the erstwhile chiefs offered on myriad issues, a navy statement said. The aim was to take advantage of their experience, knowledge and collective wisdom to chart the path ahead for the Indian Navy, it said, adding that each former chief has played an important role in shaping the force and what it is today is a result of the collective effort put in by this extended naval family.
Among the former chiefs who attended the event were Dhowan's immediate predecessor, Admiral DK Joshi, who had resigned last year following a spate of naval accidents.
Besides being a reunion of sorts, a broad overview of the numerous progressive steps being taken on operational, material and personnel issues by the navy was also presented during the Conclave.
The former chiefs were also provided a perspective on the achievements of the Service and the future plans anchored on the 'Make in India' initiative.
The first edition of this year's bi-annual Naval Commanders' Conference concluded on Thursday. A number of issues, including enhancement of operational readiness of the Commands, infrastructure development, human resource management, coastal security, cyber security in the Indian Navy and foreign cooperation initiatives, amongst others, were discussed.
Emphasising that combat readiness of the fleet and other operational formations is of prime importance and focused efforts are required at all levels to ensure sustained growth of the navy into a formidable multi-dimensional force, the Admiral complimented all its ranks for maintaining a high tempo of operations.
