Weather Cut Things Short, But Navy Still Showed Modi Plenty

The seas off Goa were choppy enough on Saturday for the Indian Navy to shorten the planned air power display for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For instance, two planned trappings of MiG-29Ks on the INS Vikramaditya were cancelled as the weather got rougher, and pilots ordered almost at the last moment to effect touch-and-go’s instead, off the rain-swept flight deck. For all that grey weather, it was a fine display. I requested Ministry of Defence chief spokesperson Sitanshu Kar, a passionate photographer himself, to send me a batch of the photographs I was sure he had taken during the maritime power display. Here they are.