Indian Navy battles defense ministry over future of $3 billion contract | World Defense

Indian Navy battles defense ministry over future of $3 billion contract

Khafee

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Indian Navy battles defense ministry over future of $3 billion contract
30 Sept 2019
By: Vivek Raghuvanshi  

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Hindustan Shipyard, which has a shipyard at Visakhapatnam, India, was nominated by the Indian Ministry of Defence to build two of the ships that would be able to carry an army battalion, including tanks and armoured carriers. (Adityamadhav83/Wikimedia Commons)


NEW DELHI – A war of nerves has brewed between senior Indian Navy officials and the Ministry of Defence over the possible cancellation of a program to replace top priority landing dock platforms.

Despite requests made by several naval planners not to cancel the procurement of four landing platform docks from domestic shipyards, costing around $3 billion, MoD is threatening to withdraw the tender said a top Indian Navy official. MoD wants to cancel the tender, because one of the last two bidders faces severe financial crunch. Considering another was eliminated in 2015 due to bankruptcy, that leaves only one player in the fray.

After the original 2012 call for bids was cancelled, the MoD refloated the tender in 2017. After receiving both commercial and technical bids, and revalidating the bids five times, MoD is now threatening to cancel the project again amid RNEL’s significant debt and the rejection of a debt resolution plan by the consortium of bankers.

Despite requests, MoD officials declined to comment.

L&T Ltd has teamed with Navatia of Spain, while RNEL has forged partnership with Naval Group of France to construct the LPDs. The ships would be roughly 30,000 ton helicopter landing platforms with the ability to carry an army battalion, including tanks and armored carriers.

“If MoD cancels the much needed LPD program, it will be signalling that MoD does not want to pursue and promote ‘Make in India’ initiatives," said a senior representative of the industry chamber Confederation of Indian Industries.

If the program is withdrawn, it will be the second time an LPD tender will be cancelled by MoD within the last 15 years.
 

Lieutenant

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Make in India’ initiatives is moving very slowly and likely not going to see the light anytime soon. Better for India to look somewhere else. The $3B should be utilized to improve the quality of the Indian airforce instead.
 

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Make in India’ initiatives is moving very slowly and likely not going to see the light anytime soon. Better for India to look somewhere else. The $3B should be utilized to improve the quality of the Indian airforce instead.
I have indian friend not Bhakht he says it's common pharse in india Modi Jee nay Kia Hai to theek hi kia Hoga that's what made in india is no quality.
 

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Indian navy says NO to made in India helicopters. They do not even meet basic requirements set by the Navy.

Navy not keen on HAL for choppers, wants private sector to build alternate capability
Saturday, August 01, 2020
By: ET
The navy is not in favour of an offer by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd NSE -0.85 % (HAL) for an upcoming Rs 21,000 crore Make in India contract as its chopper does not meet requirements and there is a dire need to establish alternative capability in the private sector to manufacture modern aircraft.

Sources said that the naval version of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) that is being offered does not meet basic qualitative requirements and is unsuitable for the role required, including urgent Search and Rescue (SAR) missions at sea. As reported by ET, the naval utility helicopter (NUH) plan - originally planned for the private sector under the strategic partnership model - is going through a tussle after HAL entered the fray and has requested the government to be included.

"The ALH has a rigid rotor head and has been designed for high altitude operations, where it is very good at. The problem is that the design limits it in terms of the blade folding capability. In missions such as SAR, every minute is precious and the ALH just takes too much time to be deployed," a source said. While the navy is already operating the ALH in a utility role, it requires 111 helicopters for deployment onboard ships to carry out multiple roles, including surveillance and ferrying supplies. The requirement is urgent and a specialised chopper is needed that can be quickly deployed and retrieved and can be stored in the space constrained hangar onboard all vessels.


The process to acquire the choppers is already in advanced stages with four Indian companies shortlisted who can partner with a foreign technology provider to make the helicopters domestically. However, the final selection is stuck after HAL put in a representation. In the original tender document, it was specified that only private sector companies are eligible to take part in the contest.

Sources said that there is a need to have capacity in the private sector too for manufacturing modern aircraft and the NUH programme will enable the identified winner to procure technology and skills. Besides the navy requirement, the winning company will have a large domestic civilian market to tap, besides a robust export potential.
 
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