NEW DELHI: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi on Tuesday said the Indian Navy will “open” next time against Pakistan and continue Operation Sindoor if such circumstances arise again.Speaking in Vishakhapatnam during the commissioning of two new frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, Tripathi said: “In this era of uncertainties and competition, Indian Navy’s capability to deliver an overwhelming force at sea is a credible deterrence against India’s enemies. We demonstrated it well during Operation Sindoor.”Amid the commissioning ceremony of the latest state-of-the-art Project 17A multi-mission stealth frigates, Tripathi also said that India’s deployment of units and firm posture had kept Pakistan in check.”The swift deployment and aggressive posturing of our units held the Pakistan navy captive in a way and forced them to request us to end kinetic actions. Sir, a few days ago, from the deck of INS Vikrant, you had assured the Indian Navy that Operation Sindoor has not ended, and if the need arises again, there is a probability that the opening will be done by the Indian Navy, ” the Navy general said. The chief further highlighted the importance of Udaygiri and Himgiri, noting that they are the 100th and 101st warships designed by India’s own warship design bureau. “Modern and state-of-the-art platforms like Udaygiri and Himgiri, make us more capable of giving an opening knock-out punch to the enemy. On this occassion, I would like to remember the words of PM Narendra Modi. He said that the basic principle of security is that you have unique and customised systems. Uniqueness and surprise elements can be there only when equipment is manufactured in your own country… Himgiri and Udaygiri are the 100th and 101st warships designed by India’s very own warship design bureau, with more than 75% indigenous content. More than 200 MSMEs came together for their construction, which employed more than 14000 people,” Tripathi aded.Defence minister Rajnath Singh attended the ceremony and commissioned two important additions to India’s naval strength. These follow-on ships of the Project 17 (Shivalik) class frigates come with major upgrades in design, stealth, weapons and sensor systems. They are capable of handling a wide range of missions, from surface combat and anti-submarine warfare to electronic operations and surveillance, making them vital for protecting India’s sea lanes and maritime interests.
