Article Posted on : - Jul 16, 2011

NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Navy is planning to induct indigenously-built shallow water anti-submarine craft to tackle and destroy the enemy's under water threat.

“We are looking to induct indigenously-built craft for anti-submarine warfare operations in coastal waters and combating the threat posed by submarines,” Indian Navy officials said here.

“The craft would also be used for undertaking low intensity maritime operations and laying of anti-ship and anti-submarine mines,” they said.

The Navy wants the vessels to be able to operate within 200 nautical miles from its launch base and be able to travel at speeds of above 25 knots.

“The ship should also be equipped with torpedoes and rocket launchers as its fire power,” they said.

Expressing its interest to procure such vessels in a Request for Information document, the Navy has sought responses from Indian shipyards for manufacturing these vessels indigenously at their facilities here.

The Navy intends to acquire these class of ships under 'Buy Indian' category, which means that the ships should be built indigenously.

Not disclosing the number of vessels to be procured by it, the officials said, “There is also a possibility of the contract being divided between two different shipyards.”

On the design for the ships, the Navy wants that the vendors should have a MoU with a design partner for the construction of vessels at the time of submission of tender.