NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Navy is reeling under a shortage of 10,896 personnel including 1,777 officers, according to details provided by the Defence Ministry in Parliament on Friday.

Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt also said 9,119 posts of sailors are lying vacant in the Navy as on October 31. He said the shortage in the officer-rank is 1,777.

The sanctioned strength of officers and sailors in the Navy is 11,979 and 76,649.

Bhatt said a total of 323 officers were recruited in 2021 while the number in 2022 was 386.

In 2021, 5,547 sailors were inducted into the Navy. The number in 2022 was 5,171, he added.

To a separate question, he said a technology development fund to provide financial assistance to Indian industries, start-ups as well as academic and scientific institutions for the development of defence and dual use technologies.

The fund is also aimed at engaging the private industries especially MSMEs and start-ups to bring in the culture of design and development of military technology and support them with grant-in-aid, Bhatt said in his written reply.