Indian Navy’s new warship commissioned

Defence Minister A K Antony dedicated to the nation INS Shardul, Indian Navy’s new warship equipped with the latest electronic warfare system.

The indigenously built INS Shardul is a Landing Ship Tank with the primary role of transporting troops, vehicles and armaments for amphibious operations. Built by Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers, Kolkata, the auxiliary warship is capable of carrying 11 armoured tanks, 10 army vehicles, about 500 troops, helicopters, two rocket launchers, two anti-aircraft guns and shoulder launcher surface-to-air missiles, besides the crew.

Commissioning the new warship into service at the Karwar naval base in coastal Karnataka, Antony said the amphibious operation capability of the Indian Navy was being augmented to safeguard the country’s maritime interests. Two much warships of a similar kind will be inducted into the Indian Navy by December 2007, he added.

Antony said modernization of the Indian Navy was an on-going process with the Government of India’s emphasis on adoption of indigenous technology in building warships and their spare parts. The public sector and the private sector had joined hands in building INS Shardul, he pointed out and complimented Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers for their efforts.

Construction of four anti-submarine corvettes and 10 fast attack aircraft was also in progress, he said. “We have to use the sea surrounding the country to our advantage and our warships are capable of doing the work for us”, he said and added that the induction of more warships with advanced technology would help enhance the Navy’s ability to conduct operational manoeuvres and assault operations from the sea.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Suresh Mehta said INS Shardul would be playing a key role in wars fought from the sea.

According to naval officers, INS Shardul stands for the Royal Bengal Tiger, symbolizing agility, strength and valour. The ship has an expansive acomodation and storage, life facility, ability to operate in shallow waters and beaching capability. “It can act as a hospital ship and a modified fleet tanker for stern fuelling during a limited mission”, the naval officer said.

The ship is also capable of performing a wide range of missions from providing humanitarian assistance and disaster management to peacekeeping and major combat operations.