VEREM: With a large number of women joining the Indian Navy as sailors, the force is changing its rank nomenclature for sailors to make it gender neutral, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar said here on Tuesday.
“The British-era rank nomenclatures which were being followed till now, will soon change. Recently, we have got a consensus from all the people concerned and we have taken it up with the Defence ministry for approval to change the rank nomenclature, like Leading Seamen, Seamen Class I, Seamen Class II, because now we have got women sailors also. They can’t be called as ‘sea-men’. We are looking at renaming them as Nausainik Class I or Nausainik Class II,” Adm Hari Kumar told reporters.
“We have women in the ranks for the first time since last year and within a year-and-half we have 1,124 women sailors. They are going to board ships shortly," he said.
"The force has opened all the branches of officer cadre for women. They can now become marine commandos, submariners or anything that they want to become,” the navy chief said.
He added that the navy is just looking at the capability, confidence and the ability of women to deliver the given tasks.
Adm Hari Kumar also expressed hope that since gender neutrality has been introduced in the Indian Navy, it will have a woman chief in next 30-35 years.
We won’t allow any disturbance in the Indian Ocean: Navy chief
VEREM: Being the largest resident naval power on the Indian Ocean region, it is incumbent on us to ensure that the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is safe, stable and secured, Chief of Naval Staff, R Hari Kumar said here on Tuesday, while giving insight into Indian Navy’s actions against pirates in the Red Sea. Speaking on the sidelines of inauguration of the new Naval War College building by Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, the navy chief said, “It is our responsibility to ensure that India’s maritime interest is protected, promoted and pursued. Wherever our national interest lies, Indian Navy will be there to protect it. We are clear about our mandate.”
‘India protecting sovereignty of countries in Indian Ocean Region’
VEREM: India is ensuring that all the neighbouring countries of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) should be helped in protecting their autonomy and sovereignty, Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.
Singh, who was in Goa to inaugurate the new building of Naval War College, highlighted that due to the Navy’s readiness, India is fulfilling its responsibility in the IOR by providing full assistance to the littoral countries.
“The Navy is ensuring that no country, with its overwhelming economic and military power, is able to assert dominance over friendly countries or threaten their sovereignty. The readiness with which the Navy stands with the country’s allies provides substantive strength to India's global values,” he said.