Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissions Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Sachet’, two interceptor boats

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday commissioned Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sachet and two interceptor boats (IBs) C-450 and C-451 in Goa by way of video convention. The ICGS Sachet, the primary within the collection of 5 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) has been designed & constructed indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication tools.

The 105-metre longship ‘Sachet’ displaces roughly 2,350 tons and is propelled by two 9,100 KW diesel engines designed to achieve a most pace of 26 knots, with an endurance of 6,000 nautical miles. The sustenance and attain, coupled with the newest tools and methods, offers her with the aptitude to carry out the function of a command platform and undertake duties to meet the ICG constitution.

The ship is designed to hold a twin-engine helicopter and 4 high-speed boats and one inflatable boat for swift boarding and search & rescue operations. The ship can also be able to carrying restricted air pollution response tools to undertake oil spill air pollution response at sea.

‘Sachet’ which means alert is a projection of will and dedication of ICG ‘to be ever vigilant for serving and protecting’ the maritime curiosity of the Nation. The ICGS Sachet is being commanded by Deputy Inspector General Rajesh Mittal and manned by 11 Officers and 110 males. It is for the primary time in Indian maritime historical past {that a} ship was commissioned by a digital medium, sustaining strict protocol of social distancing within the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic.

The IBs C-450 and C-451 are indigenously designed & constructed by Larsen & Toubro Shipyard Hazira, and fitted with newest navigation and communication tools.  The two 30 metre longboats are able to attaining speeds in extra of 45 knots and designed for the high-speed interception, shut coast patrol and low-intensity maritime operations.

Commending ICG and GSL for this initiative of commissioning by digital means, Singh stated, “The commissioning of these ships is an important milestone in India’s coastal capability building process. Also, despite challenges like COVID-19, it is also a great example of our commitment and determination for the safety and security of the country. The rising power of ‘our sea guard’, ICG and Indian shipbuilding industry is a matter of pride for the country.”

Spelling out Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s imaginative and prescient ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All within the Region), Singh stated, “The oceans are the lifelines of not only our country but also global prosperity.”

Safe, protected and clear seas present financial alternatives for our nation-building. India is an rising maritime energy, and our prosperity can also be very depending on the ocean. Being a accountable maritime energy, Oceans are precedence of the Government, he added.

Praising the function of ICG guarding the shoreline, Shri Rajnath Singh stated, “As the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world, it has established itself as a reliable force. It not only protects our coastline and coastal community, but also protects economic activities, and the maritime environment in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).”

He acknowledged that the ocean can turn out to be a medium of any form of threats sponsored by anti-national components. Therefore this can be very vital to develop a collaborative and cooperative strategy amongst all stakeholders.

Singh expressed confidence that the Coast Guard Ships being inducted from as we speak onwards will add to their energy and assist in addressing the challenges associated to maritime terrorism, drug trafficking, smuggling, maritime regulation enforcement and the search and rescue of threatened mariners.

He praised the efforts of Goa Shipyard and L&T Shipyard, Hazira who’ve continued to construct and keep ships beneath the current circumstances. He stated, “It also shows professionalism. It is noteworthy that Indian Shipyards are making a significant contribution to the vision of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Self-reliant India campaign’, which was recently inspired by our Prime Minister.”

Director-General of Indian Coast Guard Krishnaswamy Natarajan stated the commissioning occasion proved that regardless of the hurdles posed by COVID19, the ICG strikes forward. He stated the brand new additions to the ICG fleet of vessels would help the ICG to stay ever vigilant at sea and contribute to the nation’s struggle towards COVID-19.

The fast response functionality of the IBs makes it an excellent platform to reply and thwart any rising maritime state of affairs. The ships are commanded by Assistant Commandant Gaurav Kumar Gola and Assistant Commandant Akin Zutshi.

The Coast Guard has been a pioneer in inducting indigenous property which have enabled it to stay operationally accessible all year long.  In continuation of maximising the indigenous content material within the IBs has about 70 per cent of indigenous contents, thus offering the mandatory fillip to the Indian shipbuilding business.

The ships, on becoming a member of the Coast Guard fleet, can be deployed extensively for Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance, coastal safety and different duties as enshrined within the Coast Guard constitution of duties, to safeguard the maritime pursuits of the Nation.

With the commissioning of those ships, the ICG has reached a landmark 150 ships & Boats and 62 plane. Further, 40 ships are in numerous levels of building at totally different Indian Shipyards and 16 superior mild helicopters are beneath manufacturing at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru, which can present the added energy to the surveillance capabilities of ICG to take care of the ever-dynamic maritime challenges.

The ICG has to its credit score of saving about 400 lives at sea, 4,500 lives as a part of help rendered to civil authorities and undertook 32 medical evacuations within the 12 months 2019 alone. The deterrence created by the ICG will not be restricted to the Indian waters, however collaboration with pleasant littoral states as per provisions of bilateral cooperation agreements resulted in profitable apprehension and seizure of medication in Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The real-time data sharing, shut coordination and understanding between ICG and different worldwide businesses have been the important thing success of those operations. Hawkeye vigil of the Indian EEZ has ensured seizure of Rs 2,000 crore contraband, detainment of 30 overseas fishing vessels with 119 miscreants for fishing illegally in Indian waters throughout the identical interval.

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production) Raj Kumar, Secretary (Defence Finance) Gargi Kaul and different senior officers of Ministry of Defence have been current in Delhi whereas Union Defence Minister of state Sripad Naik and Chairman & Managing Director of Goa Shipyard Cmde Bharat Bhushan Nagpal (Retd) have been current in Goa on the event.