Mumbai, Apr 18: India's maritime boundaries were neglected ever since the country's independence as it was always anticipated that aggression against the country could be made only through a land route, defence minister George Fernandes said today. "Since the day the country got freedom till the recent Kargil war, the country's maritime borders and the navy has been neglected", Fernandes said after the country's first stealth warship "Shivalik" was launched at Mazagon Dock here. The fact has been highlighted in the high-level committee report, set up on security measures, after the Kargil intrusion, the defence minister said.
Fernandes said during the invasion of Iraq, naval forces of US, UK, Spain and Italy were "indulging in front line operations" and were not merely playing a supportive role for the war on land.
Lauding the effort of Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) for making the impressive stealth warship after three Delhi-class destroyers, Fernandes said the dockyards, after fulfilling the country's needs of defence production, must possess ability to export its products.
"We talk about export of defence productions, but it may be realised by next year", he said adding that "if India start exporting warships, then it would be a remarkable achievement". Bureau Report