The valedictory function of the 35th Naval Higher Command Course (NHCC) was held at the Naval War College in Goa on Wednesday, marking the completion of the course by 34 officers. The flagship course, which commenced on August 1, 2022, was attended by Captains of the Indian Navy and equivalent ranks from the Army, Air Force and Coast Guard.

The course was aimed at preparing officers for leadership at strategic and operational levels with a primary focus on national security, maritime strategy, joint operations, and technology transformations.

Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai was the chief guest at the valedictory function.

During the course, the participating officers undertook research on a wide variety of subjects of strategic and operational importance to the nation in general and the armed forces in particular, a spokesperson of the Indian Navy said.

"The participation comprised 25 officers from the Indian Navy, four officers each from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, and one Coast Guard officer. The graduating officers will now occupy key operational and staff billets in the armed forces and will be instrumental in policy formulation as well as in decision-making," he said.

Governor Pillai congratulated the medal winners and lauded the officers for their perseverance and professional excellence. He also appreciated the discipline of India's defence forces.