By Byomakesh Biswal

Paradip (Orissa), Nov 10 (IANS) Warships cruising at breakneck speed, guns firing and shells sizzling into the aquamarine water - the scene seemed straight out of a war film as the Indian Navy conducted an exercise in the Bay of Bengal off this port city.

Seven ships of the Eastern Fleet - Landing Platform Dock INS Jalashwa, guided missile destroyer INS Ranjit and five missile corvettes - participated in the exercise Sunday as part of the Navy Week celebrations.

During the operation, the warships displayed their manoeuvring skills, including intra-ship coordination, transfer of men and materials from one ship to another and rescue operations during war. There were also high-speed missile shows, underwater replenishment (from INS Jalashwa to two other ships simultaneously), close-range anti-aircraft firing exercises and flag-past by naval aircraft and helicopters.

“The exercise was to reaffirm to our people that the Indian Navy is all geared up to thwart attacks of any nature along the coast. Whether it is an attack like Mumbai (26/11) where people from across the country infiltrated to unleash terror in our country or to give protection to Indian merchant ships along the Gulf of Aden where pirates create trade disruptions. We are all prepared to counter those attacks,” Rear Admiral P. Murugesan, the flag officer commanding of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet, told visiting journalists on board INS Jalashwa.

The exercise, which showcased the navy’s prowess, began with a flag past by combat ships with INS Jalashwa at the centre and the other ships flanking her. This was followed by the landing of Chetak helicopters on the ships and rescue operations.

“Commands are important in a coordinated operation like this. Each member in the ship has a specific role that has been clearly chalked out,” said Yuvraj Singh, a commander on board INS Jalashwa.

Not only the men and the machines, communication between warships through the flags waving atop each ship was also demonstrated. A crew of flag hoisters are responsible for getting the message across apart from the wireless phones that ring every now and then.

“Every flag has a meaning. There are 69 types of flags to communicate messages. Whether it is fuelling or firing or any type of message we want to communicate to the other ships, we get it across through flags,” said Amar Singh, a crewman in the Signal wing of the INS Jalashwa.

The show was witnessed by over 7,000 spectators, which included government officials who were invited to spend a day on the ship.

“It is certainly a learning experience for all of us. It is an experience for each of us on how to work during a war-like situation,” said Gyanranjan Das, the district collector of Jagatsinghpur.