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French nuclear sub among attractions at the Review

Josy Joseph in Bombay

Bonhomie, sympathy and some bewilderment along with that unavoidable, alluring Indianness were on display as naval ships from around the globe continued to sail into Bombay on Thursday for the International Fleet Review.

Several were the attractions of the ships that sailed in. If one was a nuclear submarine, rarely seen in Indian waters, another was a ship coming straight from the Persian Gulf after enforcing the United Nations sanctions against Iraq. Some ships even brought relief material for victims of the Gujarat earthquake. And among the sailors, there was also an unavoidable sign of the growing Indian influence: A turban-wearing India-born Sikh commanding a Singapore naval ship.

At last count there were 23 foreign ships and a nuclear submarine anchored off Bombay. Most exciting of Thursday's arrivals was the Perle, a Rubis Amethyste class nuclear-powered submarine of the French Navy. It has a displacement of 2410 tons and carries Exocet missiles in its armoury.

It was almost a decade after India had returned its Charlie-class nuclear sub leased from Russia that a nuclear submarine was entering Indian waters. Meanwhile, the Indian dream of building a nuclear submarine, dubbed Advanced Technology Vessel in official parlance and considered a 'national secret' and 'national mission', is still far from becoming a reality and India is again discussing the possibility of leasing one from Russia. The French Navy's decision to send a nuclear-powered submarine is seen as interesting by many observers in this context.

The day's most amazing treat was the arrival of the Singapore Navy's RSS Endurance with a large amount of relief material for the victims of the Gujarat earthquake. The Americans and South Africans also brought in relief material, but what made the Singapore ship the cynosure of all eyes was its commanding officer, Captain Sukhvinder Singh Chopra, who spoke fluent Punjabi. The ship itself flaunted personnel of various nationalities, from the US, Indian, Malaysian and Chinese navies, who are aboard as part of a training programme.

RSS Endurance is one of the world's most advanced battleships, where the bridge has been replaced by a cockpit. Captain Chopra said the Singapore Navy was looking forward to improving its ties with the Indian Navy. At present both navies carry out joint anti-piracy patrols in the Straits of Malacca.

India and Singapore are also engaged in tying up a deal on shipbuilding. A team of Indian officials is soon to leave for Singapore to finalize the deal, Captain Chopra said.

Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh, First Sea Lord and chief of staff of the Royal Navy, who will be one of the stars at the review, reported sick and cancelled all his engagements for the day. A veteran of Gulf War, Admiral Essenhigh is one of the numerous foreign naval chiefs who will be present at the review. Some of the others are the chief of the Iraqi Navy, Major General Yehya Taha Huesh, the Israeli Navy chief, Vice Admiral Yedidia Yaari, and Major Mohammed Triki, chief of Morocco's navy.

The Russian Navy chief, Admiral V I Kuroyedov, arrived in a remarkably low-profile manner with two ships. It is believed to be the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union that a Russian naval vessel is visiting Indian waters.

For the British, though their chief took ill, the HMS Cumberland, a Type 22 frigate, arrived after a high-profile stint in the Gulf where it was deployed to check illegal transportation of Iraqi oil. The ship was in the Gulf for more than seven months and intercepted several "illegal tankers carrying Saddam's oil", said Captain David Cooke, commanding officer. Captain Cooke admitted that Indians constituted a substantial number of the detained sailors of these illegal tankers.

For the final dress rehearsal on Friday morning, there will be 23 foreign ships, one submarine, and 80 Indian ships, including INS Viraat, India's only aircraft carrier, and five submarines.

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