India's four Defence public sector shipyards are building a total of 61 warships and vessels for the maritime forces of the country.
The four shipyards are Mumbai-based Mazagaon Docks Limited (MDL), Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Goa-based Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) and Visakhapatnam-based Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), which is the latest entrant in governmental warship building in the country.
MDL has 14 warships on order including the six Project-75 Scorpene submarines. It is also constructing a Project-17 Frigate of the Shivalik class, three Project-15A Kolkata class and follow-on four Project-15B Destroyers, all for the Indian Navy.
GRSE is constructing four Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes under Project-28, apart from six Inshore Patrol Vessel of the Rajshree class and eight Landing Craft Utility, forming the 18 ships on order.
GSL, on the other hand, is building 11 vessels, four of which are Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Indian Navy, six 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels and a 90-metre Offshore Patrol Vessel.
The HSL, which joined Defence shipbuilding as a government shipyard just about two years ago, has 12 Inshore Patrol Vessels of two different classes, apart from three 50-ton Bollard Pull Tug and 25-ton Bollard Pull Tug.
But the performance of the four shipyards, in terms of deliveries, is a really interesting bag. MDL has, in the last 10 years, delivered just two frigates under Project-17.
GRSE, on the other hand, has been the best performer, delivering 24 vessels in the last 10 years -- five Fast Attack Craft, two Project-16A Frigates, an Hovercraft, two Inshore Patrol Vessels, three Landing Ship Tanks, a Project-25A Corvette, and 10 Waterjet Fast Attack Craft.
GSL has delivered 12 ships of which two were Extra Fast Attack Craft, a Sail Training Ship, two Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessels, five Fast Patrol Vessels, and two 90-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels.
HSL has in the last two years delivered an Inshore Patrol Vessel, that too in January 2012.
The government informed parliament that there have been delays in completion of certain projects and the major reasons are:
Since warship building is a very complex activity that has a long gestation period, latest technologies and systems that evolve during the construction period have to be incorporated after making necessary changes in existing design. |