Vital assets like ships, submarines must remain free from coronavirus: Navy chief to personnel

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh told his personnel on Thursday that vital operational assets such as ships and submarines must remain free from the virus and the armed force is ready to assist other countries in Indian Ocean region.

"The coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented and it has never been seen before. Its impact has been extraordinary across the globe, including India," he said in a video message to all Navy personnel. 

The danger posed by this disease is real, imminent and unprecedented, he noted.

India is under a 21-day lockdown till April 14 to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

"We need to double our efforts to ensure that our personnel and their families continue to remain safe...We also have to make sure that our operational assets, especially ships and submarines, remain free from the virus," Singh said.

"It is a very difficult task as physical-distancing on ships and submarines is a challenge...I would also request you to wear your masks at all times," he noted.

Singh listed the steps that were taken by the Indian Navy to deal with the virus such as stopping the recruitment, putting a halt on transfers and movements of sailors and officers, and changing the training set up.

Around 13 lakh people have been infected globally and more than 70,000 deaths have occurred due to the virus.

"These are difficult times. Many of you are separated from your families. Some personnel's parents are in villages and they need help....But I can say with satisfaction that our personnel and our community has risen to the occasion proactively," he said.

"Our ships and aircraft are on standby to support the government and civil administration. We are ready to extend support not only to our country but to Indian Ocean region nations, island territories of our country," the navy chief said.

The COVID-19 challenge is not over and it is only going to intensify in the days and weeks ahead, he said, adding that the Navy will be required to further augment its preparedness.

Large scale disinfection of public areas, supporting movement between states, being ready to assist local law and order, preparing makeshift vehicles for medical support, establishing quick response teams that can do contact tracing of naval community as the COVID-19 positive cases rise -- these are the steps that Navy would have to take, said Singh.

"We need to be ready for the worst case scenario. And to my mind, it is going to be a long battle. We have decided that once the lockdown is over, the movement of personnel will happen in a coordinated manner. We should not do the movements in rush," he said.

"If the situation worsens, we will have to be ready to create alternate areas where mass isolation and quarantine can be done," he noted.