Navy to procure 3 Talwar class ships from Russia: Adm Mehta

Vasco, Dec 27 (UNI) Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta today said Navy was in the process of procuring three Talwar class vessels from Russia.

Talking to reporters at 'INS Hansa' here, Admiral Mehta said Indian-built ship 'INS Shardul' would be commissioned at the newly built naval base at Karwar on Janaury 4. One of the finest vessels in the Indian fleet, it is being built at Kolkata.

The vessel will be commissioned by Defence Minister A K Anthony, he added.

Adm Mehta said the 137-vessel strong Indian Navy will have 33 new vessels and 6 new submarines, which are presently being constructed at different shipyards.

He said with the current economic development, military growth should also be enhanced proportionally. For this, the Navy has at its disposal about Rs 1.1 lakh crore.

He said 2.5 per cent allotment for defence expenditure was sufficient, but new technologies need money. Therefore, this share should be increased to modernise the shipyards.

The Naval chief said the Navy would hand over a small stretch of land in Goa to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the expansion of the Dabolim airport, but in return the AAI should hand over the same size of land at Porbandar in Gujarat to the Navy.

UNI SRN SSS VD KN2003