New Delhi, Dec 4 (ANI): The three chiefs of Defence staff today, on the occasion of Navy Day paid their homage to the martyrs at the national war memorial at India Gate.

Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma, Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor and Air Chief Marshal PV Naik paid floral tributes to the soldiers at the war memorial.

The navy, the smallest of India’s defence forces operates one of the largest forces in the Indian Ocean with a fleet of more than 155 vessels, but many of its ships are old and due for replacement.

There were presently 40 ships and submarines on order, as per navy chief. Indian navy is acquiring a number of platforms - frigates, destroyers, corvettes, offshore patrol vessels, mini counter vessels, fast interceptors and tankers, while finalising the design for the landing platform dock on the lines of INS Jalashwa.

The Navy Chief had said earlier that the Navy plans to increase its fleet strength from 130 to 170 warships within the next decade in a bid to establish itself in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.

Naval Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said 60 more aircraft and 60 helicopters would also be inducted in the aviation wing of the fleet during the same period.

Admiral Verma on Wednesday said that the Indian Navy would be acquiring 40 warships and new fighter jets indigenously and from abroad.

Indian cabinet committee on security had recently approved the formation of ‘Sagar Prahari Bal’ or SPB, a new naval force formed to protect coastlines and naval bases of India. The 1,000 officers and sailors of the Indian navy forming part of SPB will commence their three-week training from January 11 at Kochi.

December 4 is celebrated every year as Navy Day. (ANI)