The government approves a Rs 20,000 crore deal to construct five warships for the Indian Navy
The government has cleared a Rs 20,000 crore deal to manufacture fleet support vessels (FSVs) which the Indian Navy urgently requires. Vizag-based Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) will manufacture five of the 45,000-tonne warships, the largest ship of its class being built at the defense ministry-owned yard.
The Indian FSV project was initially given the go-ahead in 2016 after the Indian Navy projected a requirement for ships that could carry fuel and other supplies for warships at sea. The ships are needed to support warships on long-range patrol and can carry a variety of equipment, such as fuel, ammunition, and food supplies. They will be able to support ships of all classes, including the two Indian aircraft carriers.
The navy has a variety of new ships that are being planned, including next-generation missile vessels and counter-mine vessels. Three additional Scorpene class submarines are also expected to be ordered shortly. The order will come as a boost for HSL, which has been struggling with getting orders from the government. The yard has delivered a missile tracking vessel and has carried out refit and upgrades of Kilo class submarines.
