NEW DELHI: In a major boost to indigenisation, the Defence ministry on Friday signed a contract with Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL), Visakhapatnam, for the acquisition of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy at an overall cost of around Rs 19,000 crore.
According to defence officials, it will be a major boost towards achieving the goal of self-reliance in defence manufacturing, as these ships will be indigenously designed and constructed by HSL, Visakhapatnam.
Indian Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh said that the five Fleet Support Ships will enhance the cargo capacity and will promote maritime security in all regions of the Indian Ocean.
“The current genre of Fleet Support Ships (FSS) that are now being signed today will carry a cargo of almost 25,000 tons…With five of these tankers, we are confident that we’ll be able to maintain presence and surveillance and promote maritime security in all regions of the Indian Ocean”, he said.
The Indian Navy’s Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition (CWP&A) Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh said that the Rs 20,000 crore contract signed will help in generating job opportunities worth 170 lakh man-days.
“If you count the five ships today, then we have also signed a Rs 20,000 crores contract…This will create job opportunities worth 170 lakh man-days. As of now, we are handling the ship building contracts of Rs 1.5 lakh crore which have already concluded…I am sure this is in line with the government’s directive for Atmanirbharta and I am sure it takes us towards our major objective of having 100 per cent Atmanirbharta by 2047”, Vice Admiral Deshmukh said.
HSL Chairman Commodore Hemant Khatri (retd), said, “It’s a big day because today, contracts for five ships have been signed together. These five ships are very advanced in terms of size and technology. The Indian Navy will greatly benefit from them”.
The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the acquisition of these ships during its meeting on August 16, 2023. As per the plan, HSL is expected to deliver all the ships, each weighing around 45,000 tonnes, in about eight years.
The Indian Naval Fleet will be able to operate for extended periods of time without returning to port, thanks to the FSS, which will be used to refuel ships at sea with gasoline, water, ammunition and supplies. The Fleet’s strategic reach and mobility will be improved by these ships.
The addition of these ships will considerably improve the Indian Navy’s capabilities to operate in blue waters. The ships can also be used for human assistance and disaster relief (HADR) activities, including the evacuation of people. The 45,000-ton Fleet Support Ships will be the first of their kind to be constructed in India by an Indian Shipyard. (ANI)