To achieve this, an MoU was signed between Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Norway’s Kongsberg Oslo marking an important milestone for India’s shipbuilding sector.
- GRSE (Kolkata), is a premier Warship building Mini Ratna Category I company under Ministry of Defence.
Polar Research Vehicle (PRV)
- About: It is a ship that serves as a platform for research in the polar regions (around the North and South Poles).
- Purpose: Equipped with the latest scientific equipment, enabling exploration of the oceans’ depths and study of marine ecosystems.
Significance of the Indigenous PRV for India
- Indigenous Needs: PRV would serve the requirements of National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, who will use it for research activities.
- Support Existing Scientific Missions: In Antarctica (Maitri [1989] and Bharati [2011] and in the Arctic (Himadri, 2008).
- Cater to Geo-political and Geo-economic dynamics of the region: Significant for India to assert its presence and interests in the region.
- Complements Existing Maritime Visions:
- SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) that leverages India’s vast coastline, strategic location, and maritime heritage and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions) for holistic maritime engagement.
- Sagarmala 2.0, Under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which is a key pillar of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV),
- MAKV seeks to place India among the top five shipbuilding nations by 2047.
- Others: Climate research, oceanography, and polar logistics.
