Karwar base awaits govt nod
As Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday asked the Navy to ''vigorously pursue'' the phase-II development of Karwar naval base, the Rs 20,000 crore project has been stuck for several months in the absence of a Cabinet approval to it.
Once completed, the Karwar naval base with more than 40 ships and submarines including two aircraft carrier will be the Navy's most important hub in the west coast.
Addressing the naval commander’s conference here Antony said phase II of the Karwar project along with developing infrastructure on the islands must be pursued vigorously.
In the second phase of Project Seabird, more than twenty additional piers are to be built in Karwar so that the strategic base can house more than 40 ships and submarines at any point of time.
The two new aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and Indian Aircraft Carrier – will be based at Karwar, naval sources told Deccan Herald. While INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov) is expected to be inducted by 2012 end, the IAC, currently under construction in Cochin Shipyard, may be commissioned by 2014-15. The IAC will be launched in water early 2012.
Three new Talwar class Russian stealth frigates and four indigenous Delhi-class destroyers will also be based in Karwar.
