Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the government has planned to induct more advanced warships and war equipment into the Bangladesh Navy as part of defence modernisation. “We’ve planned to induct ultramodern ships, war equipment and technology in the future aiming to increase the capability of Bangladesh Navy,” Hasina said. She was addressing  a function as the chief guest virtually joining it from her official residence Ganobhaban, marking the ‘President Parade’ of the passing out cadets of the Midshipman 2019 Alfa and Direct Entry Officer (DEO) 2021 Bravo. Read: ‘Had a very successful visit to France’, Hasina tells envoy The Bangladesh Navy organized the function at the Bangladesh Naval Academy, Chattogram. Hasina said the Navy has been turned into a truly full-fledged “three-dimensional” force through inducting two submarines -- ‘BNS Navajatra’ and ‘BNS Joyjatra’ in 2017. She mentioned that now the navy is able to play a stronger role in ensuring the safety of the country’s vast maritime areas, which is rich with natural resources, as well as prevent human trafficking and smuggling, and ensure the security of fishermen and the safe passage of merchant ships. Besides, she said, work is underway to build a permanent submarine base -- “BNS Sheikh Hasina” --  with modern basin facilities at Pekua in Cox's Bazar to provide safe jetty facilities to submarines and warships at the harbour. The Prime Minister said the construction work of ‘Sher-e-Bangla Base’ has progressed a lot to enhance the operational and communication facilities of naval vessels in the coastal areas of southwestern Bangladesh. She said the government has worked on various infrastructural developments, procurement of warships and strengthen the operational capacity of the existing ships. After coming to power 2009, she said, the government has started implementing the 'Forces Goal-2030' in light with the defence policy formulated by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “In order to build the navy as a modern and regional strong force, the government is taking and implementing realistic plans such as various infrastructural developments, incorporation of warships to the navy and strengthening operational capacity of the existing ships.” She said the government has already incorporated a significant number of modern warships, helicopters, maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and submarines to the Bangladesh Navy with state-of-the-art combat equipment and technology. In this connection, Hasina mentioned, a new MPA from Germany has been commissioned to the Aviation Wing of Bangladesh Navy last November 2021. “Another will be inducted in May 2022.” She also mentioned that the construction of a second hangar with all modern facilities for operation and maintenance of helicopters and MPA is going on. The Prime Minister said Khulna Shipyard Limited, being managed by the Bangladesh Navy, has already attained the capacity to build Patrol Craft and Large Patrol Craft. “A decision has been taken to build a modern warship at Chottagram Drydock Limited run by the Bangladesh Navy to transform the Navy as a ‘Builder Navy’ from a ‘Buyer Navy’,” she said. Hasina mentioned that the government is also working to increase and streamline the organisational structure of the Bangladesh Navy to ensure the best use of these sophisticated technologies. The government has been working relentlessly for the economic and socioeconomic development of the country, she added. Read: Follow the chain of command, PM tells BGB personnel Hasina said the Father of the Nation had a dream to establish a modern academy to develop competent leadership for the military through providing advanced training to the country’s young generation. She said the ‘Bangabandhu Complex’ with modern facilities has been inaugurated in 2018 and training facilities at the Naval Academy have elevated to international level with this. Hasina said she firmly believed that the naval officers trained in the academy will take advantage of this increased opportunity to lead the navy forward with more confidence. On behalf of the Prime Minister, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal distributed prizes among the winners and spoke at the programme. The cadets also took formal oaths on the occasion. Bangladesh Navy arranged a spectacular parade on the occasion. The Prime Minister witnessed it from Ganobhaban.

India will continue to maintain a naval presence in the troubled Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, which is aimed at protecting and reassuring Indian-flagged merchant vessels and oil tankers transiting through the region, reports Times of India. “The Strait of Hormuz is a major chokepoint. Disruption in trade in this region can have a major impact on our economy. Under `Operation Sankalp’, we will continue to deploy a frontline warship, either a destroyer or a frigate with a helicopter and a marine commando intervention team, in the region,” a senior Navy officer said. Read:India’s Bharat Biotech says vaccine 93.4% effective against severe COVID-19 India, in fact, launched Operation Sankalp in June 2019 after mysterious explosions on board two foreign oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, MV Front Altair and MV Kokuka Courageous, amidst heightened tensions between Iran and the US. With the attacks underlining the vulnerability of sea-borne trade transiting through the constricted geographical locations, the Navy had then dispatched destroyer INS Chennai and patrol vessel INS Sunayna to the Gulf of Oman. "Indian Navy was the first to deploy ships to safeguard the passage of merchant ships through the region. It was taken on independently and not as a part of any coalition," the officer added. Two years later, the continuous forward naval deployment continues. As many as 23 Indian warships in rotation have been deployed to the Gulf region, with an average of 16 Indian flagged merchant vessels and tankers being provided safe passage on a daily basis. Read: India: Modi govt inducts 43 new Ministers in major Cabinet rejig "Given the prevailing security situation there, the presence of an Indian warship acts as a deterrence to any hostile threat as well as reassures our merchant vessels. If requested, we also embark a security team of marine commandos on a vessel for some duration," the officer said. "Around 60% of India's oil imports, after all, comes from this region. Despite diversification of sources for import of oil, Gulf countries are likely to continue as major suppliers for India. Moreover, the Indian diaspora numbers around 8.5 million in the region," he added. Operation Sankalp is now a part of the "mission-based deployments (MBDs)" launched by the Navy in 2017 in the Indian Ocean Region, stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca Strait. Read:India's digital economy to grow 10x to $800 bn by 2030 Under MBDs, several warships are deployed on a "sustained basis across our areas of interest" to meet any operational contingency from conventional threats and maritime terrorism to piracy and humanitarian disaster relief. "This not only helps us undertake foreign cooperation initiatives for the nation, but also enables our ships to respond to any emerging situation without any delay," another officer said.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday hoped that Bangladesh Navy will be able to be a commercial manufacturer of warships in the future and thus earn foreign currencies alongside creating jobs.