In a first, US Navy Ship arrives in India for repair services

India

oi-Prakash KL

New
Delhi,
Aug
07:
Providing
a
huge
boost
to
‘Make
in
India’
and
‘Aatmanirbharta
in
Defence’,
US
Navy
Ship
(USNS)
Charles
Drew
arrived
at
L&T’s
Shipyard
at
Kattupalli,
Chennai
on
Sunday
for
undertaking
repairs
and
allied
services.
This
is
the
first
ever
repair
of
a
US
Navy
ship
in
India.

The
US
Navy
had
awarded
a
contract
to
L&T’s
Shipyard
at
Kattupalli
for
undertaking
maintenance
of
the
ship.
The
event
signifies
the
capabilities
of
Indian
shipyards
in
the
global
ship
repairing
market
and
Indian
shipyards
offer
wide
ranging
and
cost-effective
ship
repair
and
maintenance
services,
using
advanced
maritime
technology
platforms,
said
the
Ministry
of
Defence
in
a
statement.

Terming
the
event
as
a
red-letterday
for
the
Indian
ship
building
industry
and
the
Indo-US
defence
relationship,
Defence
Secretary
Dr
Ajay
Kumar
said,
“We
are
indeed
pleased
to
welcome
US
Naval
Ship
USNS
Charles
Drew
to
India,
for
making
her
voyage
ready.
India’s
initiative
also
assumes
special
significance
in
furthering
the
strategic
partnership
between
India
and
the
US.
It
marks
the
beginning
of
a
new
chapter
for
deeper
engagements”.

Dr
Ajay
Kumar
described
the
arrival
of
USNS
Charles
Drew
for
repairs
as
a
sign
of
a
maturing
Indian
shipbuilding
industry.
“Today,
India
has
six
major
shipyards
with
turnover
of
nearly
$2
billion.
We
are
making
ships
not
only
for
our
own
requirements.
We
have
our
own
design
house
capable
of
making
all
kinds
of
state-of-the-art
ships.
The
country’s
first
Indigenous
Aircraft
Carrier
Vikrant
is
a
shining
example
of
the
growth
of
the
Indian
shipbuilding
industry.
Under
the
new
innovation
ecosystem,
vessels
capable
of
undertaking
autonomous
missions
have
been
built
by
Goa
Shipyard
Limited
and
some
of
our
start-ups.
The
shipbuilding
industry
today
is
not
just
carrying
out
conventional
things,
but
is
also
amalgamating
the
latest
technologies
with
it,”
he
said.

The
Defence
Secretary
also
asserted
that
the
ties
between
India
and
US
have
been
expanding
in
scale
and
scope
and
are
based
on
common
values
and
beliefs
of
an
open,
inclusive
and
rule-based
order
in
Indo-Pacific
and
rest
of
the
global
common
systems.
He
added
that
there
has
been
a
tremendous
amount
of
traction
in
the
defence
industry
cooperation
over
the
last
couple
of
years
between
the
two
countries.

“Indian
defence
exports
have
seen
a
massive
increase
in
the
last
four-five
years.
Exports,
which
were
worth
about
Rs
1,500
crore
in
2015-16,
have
now
grown
by
800%
to
around
Rs
13,000
crore.
A
major
destination
for
Indian
exports
is
the
US,”
Dr
Ajay
Kumar
said,
thanking
the
US
partners
for
their
cooperation
and
support
to
the
Indian
defence
industry.
He
hoped
that
the
defence
exports
will
increase
further
in
the
times
to
come.

Defence
Secretary
Dr
Ajay
Kumar,
Vice
Chief
of
Naval
Staff
Vice
Admiral
SN
Ghormade,
Flag
Officer
Commanding
Tamil
Nadu
and
Puducherry
Naval
Area
Rear
Admiral
S
Venkat
Raman
and
other
senior
officials
of
Ministry
of
Defence
visited
the
shipyard
to
welcome
the
vessel.Consul
General
of
US
Embassy
in
Chennai
Ms
Judith
Ravin
and
Defence
Attaché
at
the
US
Embassy
at
New
Delhi
Rear
Admiral
Michael
Baker
were
also
present.