Naval Tour of National Defence College (NDC) Course at Mumbai, Goa and Karwar

Air Marshal D Choudhury, the Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi along with 113 officers undergoing the 61st National Security Studies Course at NDC visited naval organisations at Mumbai, Goa and Karwar as part of their study tour and familiarisation visit. The NDC team comprised of officers from the Indian Armed Forces, Indian Civil Services and military & civilian officers from Friendly Foreign Countries. At Mumbai, the officers visited HQWNC, Naval Dockyard, MDL and Maritime Warfare Centre from 13 to 15 September 2021 and were briefed on the role and responsibilities of these organisations. They also embarked warships of the Western Fleet for a demonstration of combat and rescue helicopter operations, actions against asymmetric threat by Fast Attack Craft, submarine operations, RAS and weapon firing drills to get a first-hand experience of naval operations. On 16 September 2021, the NDC team visited Goa and were briefed on the activities of Goa Naval Area. They were briefed about different aircraft and witnessed various air demonstrations viz., flypast, sling operations and trap-on by MiG-29K at Shore Based Testing Facility. They also visited the Naval Aviation Museum. On 17 September 2021, the NDC team visited naval facilities at Karwar and were briefed about Project Seabird. They embarked aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya for a guided tour and were also provided with capability demonstration at the ship lift facility of Naval Ship Repair Yard. The NDC is a globally renowned defence institute, concentrating upon ‘security’ as a whole, rather than having limited scope to ‘defence’ alone. It is the highest Institution of advanced studies, not just for the Armed Forces but for Civil Services officers as well. The NDC, which was founded in 1960, provides a forum for holistic studies on security for senior defence and Civil Services officers from India and a number of Friendly Foreign Countries. Focused upon strategy, geopolitics, and higher direction of warfare, it seeks to provide decision-makers with the necessary skills and knowledge required in senior positions in national security and allied government organisations.