Awe-inspiring feats leave people wanting more!

Visakhapatnam: The breathtaking operational demonstration of MiG 29K aircraft, rocket firing by ships, fly past by the naval aircraft and sail past by submarines turned out to be a feast for the eyes to lakhs of viewers who congregated at RK Beach that became a stage to celebrate Navy Day in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Swapping positions and undertaking tactical maneuvers, the Indian naval warships INS Khanjar, INS Kadmatt, INS Kirch showcased their might in columns.

Before one could get over with an awe-inspiring scene, another spectacular feat unfolds along the coast as the indigenously built INS Delhi, INS Sahyadri and INS Kochi along with INS Jalashwa slice through the Bay of Bengal to exude their prowess. As Chetak landed on INS Delhi, ALH on INS Sahyadri, Sea King over INS Kochi, the versatile UH 3H helicopter on INS Jalashwa at the same time, patriotism reached a crescendo as ships, submarines and aircraft showed up one after the other to display their capabilities.

Forming a phalanx, fighter hawks zoom past the skies in a swift action. While ships carried out rocket firing, a fleet of helicopters carried out tactical maneuvers. The indigenously designed Chetak which is extensively used for logistics support and ALH helicopters built with state-of-the-art equipment carried out search and rescue operation. Minutes later, MiG-29K aircraft, known as Black Panthers, displayed their low-level tactical feats swiveling along the skyline. Dornier 228 aircraft roared ahead, while P-8I Boeing lit up the evening sky.

As India celebrates 'Navy Day' on December 4 annually to acknowledge the role of the Indian navy and commemorate its achievements in 'Operation Trident' during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the mighty operational demonstrations carried out at Visakhapatnam coast offered a delightful experience for lakhs of viewers watching it live, fishing out the mobile cameras to capture the best shots.

President of India and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Droupadi Murmu witnessed the operational demonstration by participating as chief guest. Several dignitaries from the Central and state governments attended the event hosted by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. Among others, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt and Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta were present.

The operational demonstration brought the capabilities of Indian naval ships, submarines, aircraft, helicopters and Special Forces from the Eastern, Western and Southern Naval Commands to the fore. A book on naval history titled 'A Decade of Transformation - Signalling Power and Partnerships' was released by the President. In addition, a navy telefilm on Navy Wellness and Welfare Association and a new naval song titled 'Call of the Blue Waters' written by Prasoon Joshi and sung by Shankar Mahadevan were released. Also, the President unveiled a new Indian Navy crest and the CNS standard on the occasion. Along with Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy, badminton champion PV Sindhu joined the stage while the trio enchanted the audience with patriotic tracks. The event concluded with Beating Retreat, a sunset ceremony and illumination by ships at anchorage.