President's Fleet Review 2022 - Visakhapatnam

FDC with Visakhapatnam Cancellation

Date of Issue: February 21, 2022

India Post issued a commemorative stamp of Rs.5.00 denomination on the occasion of President's Fleet Review held at Visakhapatnam.

President Ram Nath Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind conducted the Fleet Review off the Visakhapatnam coast in the Bay of Bengal. As many as 60 ships and 55 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft participated in the mega event.

As the Supreme Commander of our armed forces, every President of India reviews the Indian Naval Fleet once during their term.

The Fleet Review is aimed at assuring the country of the Indian Navy’s preparedness, high morale and discipline.

This is the 12th Fleet Review and the theme was ‘Indian Navy - 75 years in Service of the Nation’, commemorating the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

After a 21-gun salute and ceremonial guard of honour, the President embarked on the Presidential Yacht, INS Sumitra - an indigenously built naval offshore patrol vessel. Received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Kovind sailed past 44 ships anchored in four columns in the Bay of Bengal and received the ceremonial salute from each of them.

The crew of each ship presented a salute with the traditional ‘Three Jais’, a symbolic act called “Man and Cheer Ship,” in a demonstration of the unconditional allegiance of Navy personnel to the country and the Supreme Commander.

Along with the ships, there was a Parade of Sails, comprising two Laser Bahia, six Enterprise Class and six Indian Naval Sailing Vessels Mhadei, Tarini, Bulbul, Hariyal, Kadalpura and Neelkanth.In addition to the naval warships, ships from the Indian Coast Guard, Shipping Corporation of India and Ministry of Environment Sciences also participated in the review.

Marine Commandos (Marcos) from the Special Operations unit INS Karna on the eastern seaboard, performed combat free-fall water jumps from the Para Dornier aircraft over a designated drop zone from a height of 6,000 feet.

The President also witnessed demonstrations in the form of a composite flypast by 55 aircraft including Chetaks, ALH, Sea Kings, KAMOVs, Dorniers, IL-38SD, P8I, Hawks and MiG 29K.

Info Courtesy: newindianexpress.com, onlinewiki.in