India and China opened a new chapter in the bilateral military-to-military exchanges by holding the first ever joint naval exercise.

Indian Navy's front-line warships, INS Ranjit, a guided missile destroyer, INS Kulish, a guided missile corvette and INS Jyoti, a replenishment tanker participated in the exercise. Two Chinese warships-Jia Xing and Panyang Hu took part from the Chinese Navy.

The Indian naval ships entered Shanghai harbour on November 10 last. Thirty ships and submarines of the PLA Navy berthed either side of the harbour in Huanpu Jyang area, welcomed the Indian ships. Rear Admiral Xu Jiwen, Commander Shanghai Naval Base received the ships. Vice Admiral OP Bansal, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and Mr Nalin Surie, Indian ambassador to China were also present on the occasion. The visit of Indian Naval ships to China and the impending search and rescue exercise with the PLA Navy has generated a great deal of interest and mutual respect between the two navies.

The exercise comprised communication procedures, helicopter operation and search and rescue operation including casualty evacuation drills from a distressed ship. The exercise was conducted successfully bolstering further the interoperability between the two navies.

As a prelude to the scaling of Mt Everest, Indian Navy conducted a mountaineering expedition to Saser Kangri 1 (7672 mtrs) after successfully climbing Mt Sutilla (6373 mtrs) and Mt Kamet (7756 mtrs). Though Saser Kangri has been attempted several times by the eastern route, the Naval team comprising nine members attempted this peak by the most difficult West Ridge route.

Saser Kangri I is the highest summit of the Saser massif in East Karakoram, deep in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh. It is considered one of the most formidable peaks in the world. It was first climbed from the east by an ITBP team in 1973. The West Ridge route was considered impossible as it thwarted many attempts by some of the legendary mountaineers. It was first climbed by a joint Indo-British Army team in 1987, which comprised some of the finest Indian and British climbers of all times. Several attempts were made thereafter to repeat the route but no one succeeded.

The Naval team had acclimatisation at Leh for three days, and later reached Panamik by road. From Panamik, the team trekked along the Phukpoche Lungpa and established a base camp on the terminal moraine of South Phukpoche Glacier at an altitude of 4900 mtrs.

The entire summit ridge is knife-edged, heavily corniced and wind swept. It offered technical challenges of the highest order to the climbers. Saser Kangri 1 is also called ‘Yellow Goddess’.

The Indian Navy team is a mixed team of experienced and novice. The team was led by Cdr Satyabrata Dam, a veteran, with 28 peaks to his credit.

-PIB (DW)

One-hundered and twentytwo personnel from School for Naval Airmen (SFNA) participated in a trekking expedition at Munnar. The expedition was flagged off by Lt Cdr AK Nayak. Picture shows the trekkers descending the hill slopes in the tea gardens of Munnar.

Almost 2000 Navy personnel, their families and students took part in a cleaning drive at Girgaum Chowpatty in Mumbai. Under the aegis of Western Naval Command (WNC), the cleaning drive was conducted on the occasion of International Coastal Clean up (ICC) Day-2003. The Naval personnel collected almost eight tons of garbage from Girgaum Chowpatty. The Birhanmumbai Municipal Corporation carried out the garbage collection activities.

At Kochi, Naval personnel, their families and students from Naval Public School and three Kendriya Vidyalaya also took part in cleaning operations at Fort Kochi beach and Marine Drive besides Naval areas. Coast Guard and NCC also participated in this event. Navy also conducted an awareness campaign for students of Naval schools on the need to protect and conserve the environment and marine life.

(with inputs from : Cdr AK Lambhate and Cdr M Nambiar)

INS Sharda, an offshore patrol vessel under Southern Naval Command, while operating off Minicoy Islands, evacuated a casualty from a merchant ship. Reacting swiftly to the distress call, the ship proceeded at maximum speed to effect rendezvous with MV Muzeyyen Ana, 100 nautical miles west of Minicoy.

On reaching the ship, Sharda provided medical assistance to the patient-a Turkish engine-room sailor who suffered a heart stroke. The patient was evacuated to the warship and kept under acute medical surveillance with all resources available onboard. Later, he was safely brought to Kochi and was admitted in the Medical Trust Hospital.