Vice Admiral A.R. Karve,
Officers of Indian Navy,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am indeed very happy to address the Officers of the Indian Navy, which is one of the strongest Naval Forces in the world. Since we have officers of different age groups and those having different years of experience, I think it would be better to address you on issues of common interest to everyone here. But, before I move on, I should thank Vice Admiral A.R. Karve for giving me this wonderful opportunity to interact with the officers.
I must begin with a word or two addressed to the young officers present here. First of all, my sincere best wishes for the young officers for having taken up a career in the Navy. I am certain that the training in the Navy has transformed all of you as officers and gentlemen who see their official responsibilities as the right opportunity to serve the nation.
As a person coming from Judiciary it is appropriate to inform that in terms of Article 53(2) of our Constitution, the President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces of the Union, which includes Navy.
I hope most of you may be aware of our Constitution and various provisions therein. I always highlight “Preamble” and Fundamental Duties” as mentioned therein:
a) PREAMBLE
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India to a [SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC] and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the [unity and integrity of the Nation];
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
b) FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES
Article 51-A: It shall be duty of every citizen of India:
a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;
b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom;
c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;
e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;
g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;
h) to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence,
j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity, so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.
k) who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and fourteen years.
India's status and heritage as a maritime nation has been established over a history of over 5,000 years. The world’s first tidal dock is believed to have been built during our Harappan Civilization, and we have historical evidence to prove that Indian ships traded with countries like Java and Sumatra and with other countries in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. We also have scholarly evidence to prove that navigation activities over the Indian Ocean pre-dates western civilization.
Kerala too, has a rich maritime heritage that included the sea-port at the ancient city of Muziris on the Malabar Coast. It was the sea route that brought the colonial powers to Kerala and even now the stories of the battles fought by our valiant people against the Portuguese navy continue as inspiring legends. The rulers of Calicut in the 16th Century had also organized one of the best fleets of those days.
While mentioning Kerala's maritime tradition, we cannot forget the Muziris heritage project which also has a ‘Spice Route Initiative’ to explore the global linkages that the Malabar Coast had with many parts of the world. We hope that this Spice Route Initiative will help Kerala and India to emerge again as a major centre of international trade and transport.
As we all know, the Indian Ocean region faces different and complex maritime threats. In spite of significant growth in trade and economic development, the Governments in this region are troubled by inter-state disputes, piracy, terrorism, drugs and human trafficking and climate change. This reality calls for ensuring effective maritime governance for security and development.
It is true that there are challenges in the form of expansion of knowledge, adapting to new technologies, international exposure and so on. You have already realized that the ocean has boundaries, but knowledge has no limits and therefore, the challenge of enhancing one's vision is never fully met. Striving for excellence, by remaining passionately curious throughout your career is a quality expected from officers of the armed forces, since the successful people are always the bestlearners. They observe, imbibe, improve and spend time learning subjects outside their core area of expertise. It's your learning skill that would reflect in the performance of the Navy in the years to come.
As officers who would lead the Navy in the future, there are many things, big and small - that you should be familiar with. I hope to touch upon some things that I think, may reflect what I as a citizen and perhaps the entire civil society would expect from the Navy.
Dear Officers, have you observed how the civil society perceives the Navy? In fact, each individual carries a mental picture of the Navy or armed forces in general. Our civil society appreciates the soldiers when they step in to build a bridge or provide relief action in times of disaster. But, the mere mention of using the service of the Army for handling law and order is looked at with suspicion, which is at times aggravated by political interpretations. Therefore, at the back of the collective thinking of some sections of society, there is a slight shadow of doubt on whether the armed forces can really be friends of the people.
If such a shadow really exists, it indicates that a more proactive approach on the part of the Navy could change the scenario for the better. It is true that the Navy offers an ocean of opportunities to the younger generation. But, how many of our youngsters are really keen on joining the armed forces? I understand that the attraction of other careers is proving to be more lucrative than the lure of the uniform. I hope the Navy would expand its career guidance opportunities to as many colleges as possible. As Chancellor of the Universities, I am willing to direct our institutions to ensure as much participation as possible in programmes for enhancing awareness about careers in the Navy. More than offering careers, it would help to ensure that virtues of discipline, honesty, loyalty and patriotism find their rightful place in our campuses.
On a personal note, I grew up in a society that had more to do with farming than with matters related to military. Nor did we have relatives or neighbours who served in the armed forces. Thus, my early life had little or no connection with the Navy. And, interestingly, in my career in the judiciary also, I have not heard cases pertaining to the Navy. However, there have been many instances and cases where I have felt that situations would have been different, had the Navy's timely and expert involvement been ensured. One instance was during the first Bombay blast case (1993) trial, where it was clear that the Sea Customs of Bombay had not alerted the agencies including the Navy about smuggling of weapons, which had reached some people.
We have a coastline of 7,500 kilometres, and the sea lanes in the Indian Ocean are among the most strategically important. More than half of the world’s armed conflicts are presently located in the Indian Ocean region. It is only natural that the Indian Navy has several roles to play in the current scenario. First of all, it has to protect the country against any form of aggression. It has to protect the maritime interests of India; to maintain stability in the maritime zones and to provide assistance whenever needed, especially in terms of relief operations during disasters.
All of us can be proud that the Indian Navy has been performing these functions quite meticulously over the years. In the recent case of Enrica Lexie for instance, the Navy had a significant role in intercepting the ship and bringing to book the Italian mariners accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast. The Navy's role in Tsunami Relief to Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia etc in spite of the country itself suffering damage, is well known and appreciated. During the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka, Operation Cactus and in evacuating Indians from Lebanon and Yemen, we have seen the Navy performing very well, providing security wherever needed.
But, we should also realize that, today, the very idea of security has expanded beyond military security and peace is much more than the absence of war. Human security is now seen to encompass economic development, social justice, environmental protection, disarmament, human rights and so on. This has made the role of the armed forces much wider. As a person hailing from Tamil Nadu, I am aware of how efficiently the Navy has been carrying out Operation Tasha along the south Tamil Nadu border, that is, Palk Bay from 1990 onwards.
At the same time, I often hear complaints from the people about Indian fishermen not getting adequate help from our Navy or Coast Guard, while Sri Lankan Navy is doing more to protect their fishermen. The claims may be exaggerated, but certainly they point to the need to focus on making coastal folk more aware of territorial waters and the dangers of crossing such limits. I feel we should give this the importance that Naval officers usually attach to their study of Maritime Laws.
While it is necessary on the part of the Navy to empower people, especially coastal people on such Laws, it is also important that each member of the Navy is clearly aware of his or her legal rights. It is likely that officers in the Navy may get entangled in legal issues and face Court Martial procedures. With the passing of the Armed Forces Tribunal in 2007, we have an avenue for adjudication or trial of disputes and complaints with respect to commission, appointments, enrollments and conditions of service in respect of persons subject to the Army Act, 1950, The Navy Act, 1957 and the Air Force Act, 1950. It also provides for appeals arising out of orders, findings or sentences of court- martial held under these Acts and for matters connected or incidental. Article 227 of the Constitution gives powers to High Courts to have superintendence over Tribunals. However, the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007 has specifically taken this purview of superintendence or supervision away from the High Courts.
At present, The Armed Forces Tribunal has its principal bench in New Delhi and eight regional branches including the one at Kochi. While some members of the Armed Forces have now come forward to seek the services of the Tribunal, a large majority of the serving as well as former service personnel are not aware of the services. I think Navy should have sessions for awareness creation on the services of the Tribunal among its personnel, both serving and retired.
To conclude, let me come back to the role of the Navy. I would say that The Navy's task of helping in the definition, and implementation of a security model for today's democratic, pluralist, developing society has become more complex due to various factors. But, the real measure of security comes from the well-being of the citizen who should feel secure individually and communally. Issues like global terrorism stand in our way and all institutions including the Navy have to go for organized international action to handle such issues. Even our legal system needs to be restructured to suit a comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, for which the Navy could give valuable inputs. The Navy can also contribute to the fine-tuning of our Diplomacy through practical ideas of strategic nature. Each officer sitting here must empower himself with knowledge and skills to contribute to such exercises. After all, it is the little drops of water that make the mighty ocean.
Once again, I thank Vice Admiral A.R. Karve and his team of Officers at the Southern Naval Command for giving me this opportunity to address you all.
I greet all officers who are present here and wish them all the best.
Thank you
Jai Hind
