Lt. Commander Anupama Thapliyal, Deputy Officer in Charge at the Naval History Division, Naval Base, Mandovi, Goa, highlighted India’s crucial role in assisting neighbouring countries, emphasising the importance of such efforts in maintaining national security and regional stability.
Speaking on the second day of the five-day national workshop on ‘National security and disaster management’ at the Central University of Kerala, she outlined how India’s support fostered peaceful diplomatic relations and contributed to a stable neighbourhood.
Lt. Commander Thapliyal spoke of ‘Indian Navy’s benign role and its associated mission’. She explained the four key roles of the Navy —military, constabulary, diplomatic, and benign — focusing on the benign role, which includes humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, non-combatant evacuation, and search and rescue operations. She said the benign role was essential for strengthening the Navy’s other primary functions.
The workshop also featured presentations by Dr. Anbazhagi from the Department of Environmental Science on ‘Community participation in disaster management’, advocating for a community-led approach, and by Air Commodore Nitin Sathe, who spoke about lessons learnt from the 2004 tsunami in his presentation, ‘Tsunami 2004: disaster management lessons’. Air Commodore Sathe highlighted India’s effective response and referenced his book, A Few Good Men and the Angry Sea, which details relief efforts in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The session was chaired by Prof. Suresh Rangarajan, Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, and coordinated by Dr. Reinhart Philip. The workshop will conclude on August 23.
