Pune. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi on Sunday said he still likes to call Bangladesh a friend and hopes that the situation in the neighboring country will improve. In August last year, the Sheikh Hasina government fell due to student-led protests in Bangladesh, after which a government was formed there which is not friendly towards India. Hasina, who has taken refuge in India, was sentenced to death by a special tribunal on November 17 in her absence after finding her guilty of ‘crimes against humanity’.
Bangladesh has said that it expects Hasina’s extradition from India as soon as possible. In response to a question, the Navy Chief said that he would still refrain from calling Bangladesh anything other than a friend, because this could be a temporary and transitory phase. He said, “We will have to wait. Elections are yet to be held in Bangladesh, so we should reserve our comments for now.”
The Navy chief said, “We are training their personnel here. I met a Bangladeshi officer cadet who passed out from the NDA this morning itself. After taking over as the Army Chief, my first visit was scheduled to Bangladesh. There was also an offer to visit another capital, but I declined. (I said) I should go to Bangladesh, which is our first partner. There was warmth, hospitality and a wonderful feeling of what India has done.”
He said that he will always remain optimistic and confident that things will change as far as Bangladesh is concerned. He participated in the question-answer session after delivering the Admiral JG Nadkarni Memorial Lecture on ‘Indian Navy: Navigation between Geopolitics, Technology and Strategy’ organized by the Naval Foundation Pune Unit here.
On the question related to the successful test of indigenous hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile SMASH by Pakistan Navy, Admiral Tripathi said, “We are also preparing for it at the national level. Many of our scientists are working on it. This is one of the disruptive and unique technologies on which we are collaborating with DRDO and industry.”
He said, “We have put this challenge before all the talented people and we are waiting for your suggestions. I can assure you that the threat and necessary responses have been fully acknowledged at the government level and many people are actively working on it.”
Asked whether the Indian Navy has been integrated in the same way as the Indian Air Force and air defense of the armed forces were integrated during ‘Operation Vermillion’, Admiral Tripathi said that ‘Operation Vermillion’ is still ongoing and any discussion on anything related to it should be avoided.
He said, “The air defense of the three services is integrated. This was done during ‘Operation Sindoor’ and the Navy is completely on this path.” Asked whether the presence of Chinese spy ships in the South China Sea was causing delays in missile tests, the Navy chief replied ‘no’.
He said, “I have also read the news related to the presence of Chinese spy ships, but I have no information about any test being delayed due to this. This could be someone’s fabricated story, or it could also be a narrative being spread for some purpose.”
