New Delhi, Mar 1 (IANS): The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved signing of a contract with Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) for acquisition of three cadet training ships, at an overall cost of Rs 3,108.09 crore, under Buy (Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)) category.

The delivery of ships is scheduled to commence from 2026.

These ships will cater to the training of officer cadets, including women, at sea after their basic training to meet the future requirements of the Indian Navy. The ships would also provide training to cadets from friendly countries with the aim to strengthen diplomatic relations. The ships can also be deployed for evacuation of people and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

The ships will be indigenously designed, developed and constructed at L&T shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai. The project will generate employment of 22.5 lakh man-days over a period of four and a half years. This will encourage active participation of Indian shipbuilding and associated industries, including MSMEs.