In the second such instance, a U.S. Navy replenishment ship, USNS Matthew Perry has docked at Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Kattupalli shipyard on March 11 for repairs.
The ship will undergo repairs from March 11-29, Navy Chief Adm. R. Hari Kumar said on Monday. “Apart from Indian Naval ships, warships from friendly foreign countries have begun utilising Indian shipyards and Naval dockyards for repair and refit of their platforms, which has enhanced the prospects of an export-driven Indian shipbuilding industry. For instance, one of U.S. Navy’s dry cargo ships had undertaken repairs at Kattupalli shipyard last year,” he said on the indigenous shipbuilding industry while delivering a talk.
In August 2022, U.S. Navy’s dry cargo ship Charles Drew had undertaken minor repairs at L&T’s Kattupalli shipyard for over 11 days.
At the India-U.S. 2+2 in April 2022, both sides had agreed to explore the possibilities of utilising Indian shipyards for repair and maintenance of ships of the U.S. Maritime Sealift Command to support mid-voyage repair of U.S. Naval ships.
Sources said that beginning with small repairs, there is an opportunity to go up the value chain to eventually undertake major repairs and refit positioning India as a hub in the region.
Military and security cooperation between India and the U.S. has significantly deepened in the last decades with India recently signing all foundational agreements in addition to acquiring military hardware and platforms from the U.S.
Shipbuilding and economy
Talking of shipbuilding, the recently released Economic Survey 2022-23 acknowledging the Navy’s contribution in this regard stated that every rupee spent on shipbuilding triggers circulation of ₹1.82.
As on March 14, 41 out of a total 43 ships and submarines ordered by the Navy are being constructed in Indian shipyards. A case for another 51 ships and submarines is being progressed, Adm. Kumar said. “You cannot buy a Navy, you have to build it,” he added.
Therefore, the Navy’s current order book worth ₹1.5 lakh crore will result in circulation of nearly ₹2.73 lakh crore in the shipbuilding sector as a whole, Adm. Kumar noted. He added that the construction of indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant also generated employment opportunities and bolstered a plough back effect on the domestic economy.
“Close to 2,000 shipyard and 13,000 non-yard personnel were employed per annum, towards construction of Vikrant – thus, proving the estimated shipbuilding employment multiplier effect of 6.4,” the Navy Chief stated.
