Port Blair: It was a moment of applause
for Sri Lankan Navy personnel as they marched to the tune of
Mohammed Iqbal's 'Sare Jahan Se Achha', drawing cheer from the
crowd at the grand finale of the 13-nation Milan-2010 naval
exercise here on Sunday.
Heads turned and eyes widened as the song was played
to marching tunes by the 30-man contingent from the island
nation who joined the "city parade" through the main
thoroughfare of this town.
The men were from the Sri Lankan Naval Ship Samudura,
an offshore patrol vessel.
The parade, attended by top dignitaries of the Andaman
and Nicobar Administration and senior officers from the
Tri-services command, was marked by a fly past by Chetak
helicopters from naval air station INS Utkrosh, twin-engine
Mi-8 transport helicopter from the IAF, Dornier aircraft from
the navy and Coast Guard and IAF Sukhoi fighters.
The Sukhois, which took off from Kalaikunda in West
Bengal, flew over Port Blair after mid-air refuelling by IL-78
tankers.
There was also a demonstration by Marine Commandos
(MARCOS) who para jumped into the water from AN-32 transport
aircraft and Mi-8 helicopter, carrying out a simulated attack
on a dummy oil rig platform and destroying it with clock work
precision.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 07, 2010, 22:22