Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Apr 30: Garden Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) here, received a contract worth Rs 6311.32 crore for building eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) for the Indian Navy. With this remarkable step, the Defence Ministry gave a major thrust to the 'Make in India' initiative.

The entire project foresees a completion period of 84 months and the first ship is expected to be delivered within 42 months from the date of signing the contract followed by two ships every year.

The anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft (ASW-SWC) will have a displacement of 750 tons and a top speed of 25 knots. Carrying a crew of 57 men, the vessels 'shall have the capability to destroy sub-surface targets in coastal waters', the release said, as per the report in Hindustan Times. These ships can be deployed for search and rescue operations day and night and in their secondary role they will be capable of destroying intruding aircraft and lay mines in the seabed. These warships will conform to latest MARPOL (Marine Pollution Standards of The International Maritime Organization) standards.

The GRSE, an established warship builder of the nation delivered the highest number of warships till date since its inception. As a Defence Public Sector Undertaking since 1960, it is currently handling major projects including ‘three stealth frigates for under P17A project, anti-submarine warfare corvettes, landing craft utilities, four survey vessels and fast patrol vessels for Indian Coast Guard’ for Indian Navy.