295 recruits of 315 batch of the Assam Regimental Centre participated in a magnificent attestation parade on 14 May 2016 in a scintillating ceremony conducted at Parson Parade Ground of Assam Regimental Centre. The Parade was reviewed by Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (P&S) and Colonel of the Assam Regiment & Arunachal Scouts. The parade was graced by the proud parents and relatives of the passing out trainees. A large number of military dignitaries and civilian guests were also present.
Raised on 15 June 1941, this is the platinum Jubilee year of the regiment. In its glorious history, the regiment has earned Seven Battle Honours, Three Theatre Honours, Nine Chief of Army Staff citations, 23 Army Commanders citations and Two United Nations citations. 55 Individual Honours and Awards Pre Independence and 1548 Post-Independence. Complementing the passing out batch for their immaculate standards, the general encouraged the warriors from the North East to persevere in pursuit of excellence
India gets its own Submarine Assembly Workshop
In a major step towards self-sufficiency in the area of submarine construction for the Indian Navy, defence minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurated a state-of-the-art submarine assembly workshop at the Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited on 28 May 2016.
Built at a cost of Rs153 crore, the workshop is capable of building five submarines concurrently. This will ensure lesser delays in building submarines in the long run, as well as for the envisaged second line of Scorpene submarines under Project P 75I. “The project might go through a strategic partner. A strategic partnership route is being discussed. Once we finalise the modalities, we may go for P75I selection where nearly 40 to 45 per cent of the submarine will have to be built indigenously, ” said Parrikar.
India had acquired the capacity to build submarines in the early 80s and had built two submarines, INS Shalki and INS Shankul under a technology transfer agreement with German HDW. But then, for nearly two decades, no other submarines were built after India decided to buy Kilo class submarines from Russia.
When questioned how India would keep up with its submarine building skills, Parrikar said, “The skill which we acquired 24 years ago had gone to waste because there was no work. We are planning to sustain the skill we have acquired.”
