2nd Edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2021 Held from 18-22 October; Indian Navy Received 11th P-8I Aircraft

The Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh, addressed the 2nd edition of the 5-day Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2021 (Naval Commanders’ Conference 21/2), which was held in New Delhi from 18 to 22 October 2021.

• The conference was attended by all Operational and Area Commanders of the Indian Navy to review major operational, materiel, logistics, Human Resource Development, training, and administrative activities.
• The conference acted as an institutionalised platform to direct, devise and decide issues of utmost importance, which will shape the future of the Indian Navy.

Note – The 1st edition of the Naval Commanders’ Conference was held in New Delhi from 23 to 25 April 2019.

-Launch of ‘Integrated Unmanned Road Map for Indian Navy’

At the event, Rajnath Singh launched an ‘Integrated Unmanned Road Map for Indian Navy’, to provide a comprehensive Unmanned Systems Roadmap in accordance with the Indian Navy’s Concept of Operations and chart out a capability development plan for the Indian Navy.

• The publication will provide all the unmanned aerial and underwater platforms and efforts of the Navy as part of its force modernisation.

Note – In the last 5 financial years, more than two-thirds of the Indian Navy’s Modernisation Budget has been spent on indigenous procurement.

-Indian Navy Received 11th P-8I Aircraft from Boeing

The Indian Navy has received its 11th P-8I, (Poseidon-8I) the Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare (LRMRASW) aircraft from Boeing, the United States(US)-based aerospace company to boost anti-submarine operations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

• The LRMRASW reached Goa from Seattle, Washington, USA. So far, Boeing has delivered 11 of the 12 P-8I Poseidon aircraft that are ordered by India.

Background: 

i.The Indian Navy has contracted 12 P-8Is from Boeing in two batches.

• The 1st batch: In January 2009, the Indian Navy became the 1st international customer for the P-8 aircraft with the conclusion of ~US $ 2.1 billion for a total of 8 aircraft.
• The 2nd batch: In 2016, the Indian Navy was contracted for induction of 4 P-8Is.

ii.Indian Navy had already procured 8 P-8Is, which are part of the 312A Naval Air Squadron based at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu. The 9th and 10th P-8I were received in November 2020, and July 2021.

iii.Indian Navy became the 1st international customer to operate the P-8 in 2009.

• Currently, besides the Indian Navy, the P-8 is operated by the three AUKUS countries i.e. The Royal Australian Air Force, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and the US Navy.

-MoD Signed Rs 423 Crore Contract with the US for Arms Procurement

On 21 October 2021, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with the US Government under Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for procurement of Mark (MK) 54 Torpedo and Expendable (Chaff and Flares) for the Indian Navy at a cost of Rs 423 Crores.

• These weapons are the outfit of P-8I Aircraft.

Recent Related News:

On 29th September 2021, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the Chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for defence procurement worth Rs. 13,165 crores for modernisation of Indian Armed Forces.

About Ministry of Defence (MoD):

Union Minister – Raj Nath Singh (Constituency – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State – Ajay Bhatt (Constituency – Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand)