New Delhi: China has been invited to witness
the President`s Fleet Review in Mumbai on December 20, but no
such invitation has been extended to Pakistan.
"We have sent an invitation to China to witness the show
in which President Pratibha Patil would review the naval might
of the country", an Indian Navy spokesperson said here today,
adding that no such invitation was sent to Pakistan.
However, China has not yet confirmed its attendance at
the mega event.
Invitations have been sent to the defence and military
attaches of several friendly countries who would be coming to
witness the occasion, they said.
Total 76 warships, including the sole aircraft carrier
INS Viraat, 44 aircraft, four submarines and around 8000 navy
would be showcased in the PFR as part of review by the
President.
The PFR will also showcase the indigenously built
warships, training ship SCC JAANU and sail ship INS Mhadei.
Patil, after a 21-gun salute, will sail past the
warships, including indigenously built destroyers INS Delhi
and INS Rajput, lined up off the coast Mumbai in the
Presidential yacht.
Kilo-class and HWD-class submarines will also
participate. The newly-inducted MiG-29K fighter jets will lead
the Navy`s aviation wing`s fly-past during the
three-and-a-half hour long ceremony.
It will be followed by different flying formations of Sea
Harrier fighter aircraft, Tupolev maritime patrol and
anti-submarine warfare aircraft and number of helicopters.
The last such review of the naval fleet was in held in
2006 off the Visakhapatnam`s coast when A P J Abdul Kalam was
the President.
PTI
