THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Team Herald
Vasco: Goa Shipyard Ltd carried out the first plate cutting for the advanced missile frigate project of the Indian Navy. This marks the official commencement of the construction phase of the prestigious project. Vice Chief of Naval Staff VAdm G Ashok Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, presided over the ceremony over video conference.
Goa Shipyard Ltd in its press statement has states that the contract for the construction of two Missile Frigates under design and technical assistance from Russia was inked between Goa Shipyard Ltd and the Ministry of Defence in Jan 2019. This is a critical import substitution project for the Indian Defence Shipbuilding Industry and a major boost to the ‘Make in India’ and Atma Nirbhar Bharat vision of the country. The project is also the largest to be undertaken by Goa Shipyard Ltd and represents a quantum leap in its capabilities to construct sophisticated weapon platforms for the Indian Armed Forces.
Speaking on the occasion, VAdm G Ashok Kumar, VCNS said “In the present security environment, it is the need of the hour for the defence forces of our country to be fully prepared and equipped with modernised infrastructure and potent capabilities and today’s plate cutting for the Advanced Missile Frigate Project will be another vital step towards adding strength to the Indian Navy. I heartily commend GSL for the resilience and resolve and continuing to deliver ships ahead of schedule. Providing ships and maintaining refit services in prevailing situations speaks volumes about their professionalism”
Cmde B B Nagpal, NM, CMD, GSL said “The Advanced Missile Frigates project is the largest in the history of Goa Shipyard and will propel it into a select league of yards with the capability to construct weapon-intensive warships. The project will provide a significant boost to the indigenous shipbuilding sector in Goa and across the nation creating employment opportunities. We are expanding our vendor base three-fold to over 1,000 entities to encourage MSME participation in the project. In keeping with Goa Shipyard’s excellent track record of delivering ships on-time, all efforts are underway to ensure timely execution of the project”.
