Five days after bagging a $42 million export order from Denmark, the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday signed a contract with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai to procure six next-generation offshore patrol vessels for the Indian Coast Guard. 

The acquisition of the platforms is aimed at boosting the Coast Guard’s capability towards maritime security, the defense ministry said. “The contract was made under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) (Indigenously designed, developed and manufactured) category at a total cost of Rs 1,614.89 crore.”

These multi-role state-of-the-art vessels will be indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured by the MDL, and will be delivered in sixty-six months to Coast Guard, said the Ministry of Defence in an official press release. Out of the six vessels, to be manufactured under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, four would replace the existing aging OPVs and the remaining two would augment the ICG fleet, the MoD said.

"The acquisition of these major ICG platforms is aimed to boost the ICG's capability and reinforces the increased focus of the Government towards maritime security," the ministry said in a statement.

"These modern and high-tech ships will play a critical role in enhancing surveillance, law enforcement, search and rescue, maritime pollution response, and other important capabilities including humanitarian assistance," added the ministry.

It said along with several high-tech advanced features and equipment, these offshore patrol vessels would be equipped with multipurpose drones, AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities, and wirelessly controlled remote water rescue craft lifebuoy, enabling greater flexibility and operational edge.

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