Article Posted on : - Aug 13, 2018

A representational photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian defence ministry on Monday approved a long-pending proposal to procure six indigenously manufactured next generation offshore patrol vessels (NGOPVs) for the Navy at a cost of Rs 4,941 crore, officials said.

The go ahead for the project was given by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the ministry's highest decision making body on procurement.

The meeting of the DAC was chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The DAC accorded approval for the procurement of six indigenously designed and manufactured offshore patrol vessels at an approximate cost of Rs 4,941 crore, the officials said.

The NGOPVs will be built in Indian shipyards and will be fitted with state-of-the-art sensor suite with increased endurance, they said.

These platforms will be used for multitude of operational roles which include protection of offshore assets, maritime interdiction operations and search and seizure operations, surveillance missions, mine warfare and counter infiltration operations, the defence ministry said.