New Delhi, Feb 3 Divakar Jayant has taken over as Director General of Naval Armament (DGONA) at Naval Headquarters, Ministry of Defence, an official said on Tuesday.
Jayant, a 1991 batch of the Indian Naval Armament Service (INAS), succeeds P Upadhyay, who superannuated on January 31. Jayant took charge on Monday, said an official statement issued by the Defence Ministry.
The new DG joined the Naval Armament Organisation of the Indian Navy on December 28, 1992, and has held various senior positions, including Chief General Manager and General Manager/Principal Director, at Naval Armament Depots at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Alwaye, and at NHQ/MoD, during his 33 years of service.
An Electrical Engineering graduate from IIT Delhi, the officer specialises in life-cycle management of Torpedoes and excels in planning of explosive infrastructure projects, besides having vast knowledge of HR and administration. The officer has also undergone the prestigious APPPA course (2017–18).
Earlier, the Indian Navy issued on social media a teaser of the International Fleet Review (IFR) being hosted at Visakhapatnam on February 18.
The star of Operation Sindoor’s naval leg, INS Vikrant, is all set to be the centre of attraction at the event, offering navies of friendly nations to take a closer look at India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, an official said.
The International Fleet Review (IFR) is a ceremonial assembly of International Naval Delegations, Ships, Submarines and Aircraft, during which the President, as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, reviews the Fleet, said a Navy statement.
Vikrant carrier battle group was at the core of the Indian Navy’s offensive deterrent posture during Operation Sindoor. The Vikrant carrier battle group, deployed in the northern Arabian Sea, played a key role in the strategy of compellence, thereby forcing the Pakistan Navy to be in a defensive posture and requesting an urgent ceasefire. For the IFR, it will sail to the Bay of Bengal.
The aircraft carrier can host up to 30 aircraft, including MiG-29 K fighter jets, MiG-29 KUB, Chetak, Kamov 31, MH 60R helicopters and Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH).
The aircraft carrier is 262.5 metres long and 61.6 metres wide, with a displacement of approximately 45,000 tonnes. INS Vikrant can achieve a maximum designed speed of 28 knots and accommodate around 1,600 personnel, including women officers.
INS Vikrant takes its name from India’s first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant (R11), which was decommissioned in 1997. The erstwhile INS Vikrant played a crucial role in the 1961 Goa Liberation Operation and the 1971 Indo-Pak War, earning a lasting place of pride in India’s naval history.
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