Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta has every reason to smile. He has notched several important points in turf battles that matter since Navy warships proved their mettle against pirates in Somali waters. While the Government had been reluctant to deploy warships in the region, largely due to the reluctance of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), it was the Navy Chief who had pushed for a more aggressive stance. The Navy has been at loggerheads with the MEA for sometime now. The MEA was not very enthusiastic about proactive Naval diplomacy as well as Armed Forces hosting a symposium for Indian Ocean Region countries. Same was the case with third-country ships being invited to joint exercises. Now, with congratulatory messages pouring in from Indian Ocean Region countries and other big powers, the Navy feels vindicated.
