India to deliver corvette class warship to Mauritius on Dec 20

India will soon join the elite club of warship exporters, with the Kolkata-based defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) all set to deliver the first corvette class warship to Mauritius worth USD 58.5 million.

Besides, the mini-ratna firm is also bidding for frigates order for Phillipines worth Rs 2,000 crore and also short-listed for petrol boat project for Vietnam worth Rs 600 crore.

"This was the first warship export order for any domestic shipyard. We are going to handover the Mauritius Offshore Patrol Vessel (MOPV) Barracuda to the Mauritius delegation in Kolkata on December 20," GRSE's Chairman and Managing Director A K Verma told reporters here.

GRSE had signed the contract for the supply of offshore patrol vessel to Mauritius in 2011.

The handing over ceremony will be attended by the Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh and High Commissioner of Mauritius Arya Kumar Jagessur, he said.
The state-run company has constructed and delivered as many as 92 warships for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.

"We are also are bidding for two frigates order for Philippines where we are competing with European companies," he said, adding, the GRSE has also been short-listed for the petrol boat project worth Rs 600 crore.

The Mauritius offshore patrol vessel measures 74.10 m in length and 11.40 m in breadth and will be capable of moving at a maximum speed of 22 knots with an approximate displacement of 1350 tonnes.

The 83-crew strength ship can be deployed for a wide-range of tasks including operations such as anti-piracy, search and rescue, anti-smuggling and anti-drug surveillance, transportation of small detachment of troops and personnel and helicopters operations among others, Verma said.

The ship is equipped with 30mm gun, with stabilised optical remotre control system. It is also equipped with heavy machine-guns (HMGs) and medium machine-guns (MMGs) to respond to any adverse situation.