Vital to keep warships Covid-free: Navy Chief | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Vital to keep warships Covid-free: Navy Chief

Apr 09, 2020 11:48 PM IST

NEW DELHI: At a time when the US Navy is grappling with a surge in Covid-19 cases, Indian Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh stressed that it Is vital to ensure that operational assets such as warships and submarines remain free of the virus and the navy is combat ready at all times.

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In a 15-minute video message to naval personnel, Singh said, “It is a very difficult task because physical distancing on board warships, especially submarines, is a great challenge… We have to keep our guard up and retain our sights on being combat ready.”

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Scores of sailors on board aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the disease, and its commanding officer, Captain Brett Crozier, was fired after the leak of a scathing letter he wrote to the navy’s leadership about the unfolding health crisis on his warship. Acting secretary of the US Navy Thomas Modly resigned earlier this week after delivering a controversial speech to the Theodore Roosevelt crew in which he was critical of Crozier.

French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has cut short a deployment and is returning to its home port in Toulon with around 40 sailors showing Covid-19 symptoms.

As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the world, Singh told his men that while they should hope for the best, the navy should plan for the worst.

“We need to be ready for the worst-case scenario and to my mind, it will be a long battle,” the navy chief said.

He said the deadly virus posed a real, immediate and unprecedented danger and the navy should stay prepared for challenging times ahead.

“Each one of us has put our shoulder to the wheel in these very difficult times. But the challenge will only intensify in the days and weeks ahead. And it will require us to further augment our preparedness. It can no longer be business as usual and we will have to take concrete measures so that we are prepared to tackle the full onslaught of this deadly virus,” Singh said.

The navy chief said it is imperative to redouble efforts to ensure that navy personnel and their families stay safe and healthy. “We are the last bastion in this fight. And if we who are supposed to be the care givers become care seekers, it will lead to a big problem,” Singh said.

The navy chief said all commands of the navy have started offering battlefield nursing assistant training to non-medical personnel and the initiative would help if casualties increased .

Singh said even if the country-wide lockdown were to lifted, movement of naval personnel would be permitted only in a deliberate and coordinated fashion. “Even if it is delayed, it’s fine. But we won’t do anything a rush,” he said. Movement of military personnel is currently on hold to prevent the spread of infection.

He said the navy is currently focused on work related to national security, health services and essential services. “Other tasks that involved the gathering of people have stopped. I know a lot of you are separated from your loved ones and families and many have parents in villages where they may need care and help. I know you are facing many difficulties. But I can say with satisfaction that the naval community has risen to the occasion effectively,” Singh said, adding that navy would have to intensify its efforts if the situation worsened.

He said the lockdown should enable naval personnel to “unlock their true potential.”

The armed forces have taken a raft of preventive measures to stop the spread of the infection within their ranks. These include cancellation of all non-essential training, conferences and travel; a freeze on postings and foreign assignments; avoiding any assembly that involves more than 50 personnel; postponing of all courses for officers; and encouraging personnel to work from home wherever possible.

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