Govt okays 8 ‘loaded and locked’ corvettes for Rs 36,000 crore

In a huge push for the self-reliance or the ‘Aatmanirbharta’ effort, the defence ministry on Monday approved military buys amounting to 76,390 crore, writes ETV Bharat's Sanjib Kr Baruah.

New Delhi:In a likely critical force multiplier for the Indian Navy and to buttress the security of the coastline, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Monday cleared a proposal to buy eight ‘multi-mission’ corvettes and their associated systems for Rs 36,000 crore, marking the first step towards final procurement.

“These eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGC) in the 2,000 tonnes plus category at Rs 36,000 crore will come loaded with their associated systems including latest weaponry, sensors, spares, etc.,” an official told ETV Bharat on condition of anonymity.

Corvettes are smaller than frigates but more agile and easily maneuverable with the prime mandate of operating near coastlines for patrol missions or as part of a larger group of naval platforms. Loaded with the latest, they can be potent anti surface naval warfare platforms.

Currently, the Indian Navy already operates six corvettes of the ‘Kora’ and ‘Khukri’ class excluding the light ones. The six in operation include the ‘Khanjar’, ‘Kuthar’, ‘Kirch’, ‘Kulish’, ‘Karmuk’ and the ‘Kora’. The official release said: “These NGCs will be versatile platforms for variety of roles viz. surveillance missions, escort operations, deterrence, Surface Action Group (SAG) operations, Search & Attack and Coastal Defence.”

To be equipped with cutting edge technology, these eight corvettes will be built indigenously according to specifications of the Directorate of Naval Design. Which Indian shipyard gets to build the corvettes will be determined by a tendering system.

The defence ministry’s apex procurement panel, the DAC, is headed by the defence minister. On Monday, the 76,390 crore go-ahead includes projects under the ‘Buy (Indian)’, ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ and ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)’ categories.

The other proposals that passed muster include procurement of Rough Terrain Fork Lift Trucks (RTFLTs), Bridge Laying Tanks (BLTs), Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicles (Wh AFVs) with Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) and Weapon Locating Radars (WLRs)—all to be procured from domestic sources with emphasis on indigenous design and development.

For the Indian Air Force, the succour was in form of okays for building of more Su-30 MKI aero-engines by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and manufacture of Dornier aircraft. The defence ministry also approved the setting up of a pan India secure network for digitising of various surface and aviation operations, logistics, finance and HR processes in the Coast Guard.