India to be indigenous shipbuilding hub, says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
The Centre is making efforts to make India an indigenous shipbuilding hub
INS Mormugao was built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDSL) as part of the Project 15B destroyers or the Visakhapatnam-class, Deccan Herald reports.
With the demand for military equipment continuously increasing in wake of ever changing and evolving security scenario, the Centre is making efforts to make India an indigenous shipbuilding hub, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.
“Economic, political and trade relations between countries are constantly evolving. The Covid-19 pandemic, situation in the Middle East, Afghanistan and now Ukraine. It directly or indirectly impacts every country in one way or another,” Singh said.
“In this era of globalisation, almost all nations are dependent on each other in the field of trade. Hence, rule-based freedom of navigation, security of sea lanes have become more important than ever for stability and economic progress of the world," he stated after commissioning INS Mormugao, the latest warship of the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
INS Mormugao was built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDSL) as part of the Project 15B destroyers or the Visakhapatnam-class.
Singh also praised MDL for growing in stature by continuously building new ships with state-of-the-art technologies.
Singh urged them and other shipbuilding companies to enhance their capabilities by taking advantage of the Goverment's initiatives and move forward towards making India and indigenous shipbuilding hub.
The Defence Minister described safeguarding India’s interests in the Indian Ocean Region as the prime responsibility of the Navy.
Singh lauded the Armed Forces for protecting the borders and coasts with unmatched courage and dedication, terming them as the backbone of India’s unprecedented growth. “India is touching newer heights of success every day. We are now among the top five economies of the world,” he said.
He said it is the Government’s top priority to continue strengthening the security infrastructure by equipping the military with state-of-the-art indigenous hub.