Article Posted on : - Dec 31, 2014

NEW DELHI (PTI): State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has joined hands with Midhani and HSL to set up a consortium that will build submarines indigenously and bid for a project for the Indian Navy.

"The consortium, comprising BHEL, Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd (Midhani) and Hindustan Shipyards Ltd (HSL), will jointly stake claim with the Ministry of Defence for being considered as a prospective bidder for a proposed project of the Indian Navy for building six submarines at an Indian shipyard," BHEL said in a statement.

To this effect, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards setting up the consortium was signed in New Delhi between BHEL, Midhani and HSL.

BHEL is engaged in engineering and manufacturing equipment for infrastructure sector; HSL is a defence PSU engaged in ship building, repairs and submarine retrofit; and Midhani, another defence PSU, is engaged in development and manufacture of a wide range of super alloys and steel for applications in aerospace, atomic energy and so on.

The consortium will also provide the country with a credible domestic alternative for manufacture of submarines, the statement added.