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Defence ministry okays indigenous ADS proposal

The ministry of defence has approved the navy's much-awaited proposal for building an indigenous air defence ship.

Vice Admiral Madhvendra Singh, flag officer commanding-in-chief of the western naval command, said work on the project would start some time next year.

The finance ministry too has cleared the ADS project, he added.

The proposal will now be placed before the Cabinet Committee for Political Affairs. Once its approval is received, the design appraisal work will begin.

The design is by the Indian Naval Institute of Designs. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 15 billion. No foreign consultants would be hired for the purpose, though experts may be consulted on specifics, the vice admiral said.

The ADS will be specifically equipped to carry light combat aircraft and advance light helicopters. It will have the most sophisticated weapons, including anti-submarine missiles. The construction is expected to take eight to nine years, and the ship would be ready for induction by 2009, the vice admiral said.

He said that 21 warships are to be inducted in the next five years. The Kora missile corvette class ship was inducted on December 8. The state-of-the-art INS Mysore is already out on sea trials and is expected to be commissioned by the end of May.

Oil tanker Aditya, being built in Calcutta, will be inducted by end of this year. The second defence ship of T-80 class, being built in Goa, will find its way into the Indian fleet by June.

Replying to a question about the acquisition of the Russian aircraft carrier Gorshkov, Vice Admiral Singh said talks were continuing. The navy is of the view that if Gorshkov is purchased it must be purchased along with its aircraft, he added.

Meanwhile, the country's only aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, on its return from the goodwill visit to Abu Dhabi, will be sent to the Cochin shipyard for overhaul and refit.

UNI

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