Navy needs minesweeper ships urgently, left with only 2

September 30, 2018 09:57

The Indian Navy currently has only two minesweeper ships at its disposal to safeguard sea lanes and ports spread across thousands of kilometres of coastlines in the eastern and western seaboards, a top Navy officer has said.

The navy requires 12 minesweeper ships, but at present has only two, Rear Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Assistant Chief of Material, Indian Navy, said.

"The navy needs these ships urgently," Swaminathan said.

Minesweepers are small naval warships that detect and destroy underwater mines and are considered vital for keeping the critical sea lanes safe for movement of essential cargo, including crude oil.

He said that Defence PSU Goa Shipyard Ltd is in the process of collaborating with a foreign firm for manufacturing minesweepers.

The government has been looking for a foreign collaborator for its over Rs 32,000 crore project, entrusted to GSL, for procuring 12 minesweeper ships.

The basic function of these ships would be to locate, classify, sweep and neutralise all types of ground moored and drift mines.

-- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

In a 1st, EC seeks Nadda's response on Modi's Banswara speech

At the same time, the EC also asked the Congress to respond to complaints filed by the BJP against Kharge and Rahul Gandhi regarding their respective remarks.

Rajiv abolished inheritance tax for Indira's wealth: Modi

The Congress wants to reinforce the tax more powerfully now after its four generations reaped benefit of the wealth passed on to them, he said.

I don't see much harm in Impact Player rule: AB de Villiers

The Proteas batter played for RCB from 2011-21.

Kejriwal demanded kickbacks from liquor businessmen: ED to SC

Justifying his arrest, the ED said Kejriwal had been arrested bona fide and not for any mala fide or extraneous reasons.

Dil Dosti Dilemma Review: Sweet

Dil Dosti Dilemma is a coming-of-age series without profanity, and that by itself breaks the current mould, observes Deepa Gahlot.