Indian Shipyards Likely to Benefit from Government Orders

Indian shipyards will commission five warships each year in the next five years, reports 'The New Indian Express', citing Defence Minister A K Antony, who added that the challenges faced by the shipbuilding industry led it to look towards the defence sector for orders.

The Defence Minister made these remarks after commissioning the Coast Guard Ship Abheek -- the second fast-patrol vessel of the Indian Coast Guard designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd., pointing out that as the resources on land were getting depleted at a rapid pace, nations were turning to oceans for sustenance.

The newspaper adds that the Abheek is propelled by water jet with a maximum speed of 33 Knots and an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles, capable of undertaking multifarious tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuation.

Source: The New Indian Express