Rajnath calls for turning Vizag into maritime industrial hub

Visakhapatnam: As the first Fleet Support Ship (FSS) ‘Surya’ sliced through the Bay of Bengal waters amid loud cheers from jubilant crowds, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed the launch of FSS-1 a symbol of achievement, the keel-laying of FSS-5 an indication of resolve and the new Slipway-4 a reflection of India’s ever-increasing indigenous capabilities.

Signalling India's growing indigenous shipbuilding might, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the first Fleet Support Ship christened 'Surya', laid the keel of FSS-5, and inaugurated the upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath Crane at the shipyard at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

Highlighting India’s longstanding maritime heritage and its relationship with the sea dating back to ancient times, the Defence Minister recalled the launch of ‘Jala Usha’ - the first ship built in independent India - in Visakhapatnam back in 1948.

He described HSL as a custodian of India’s national maritime capability and lauded its contribution to the country’s maritime and defence requirements for more than eight decades.

"Along with building ships, HSL is focusing on strengthening the foundation of India's maritime power for the future. Our goal should be simple and clear: design better, build faster, deliver on time, operate efficiently and do maintenance effectively," the Defence Minister stressed.

With India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem undergoing a significant transformation over the past decade, focusing increasingly on domestic design and manufacture of sophisticated systems and platforms, Rajnath Singh said, “India’s objective should go beyond self-reliance to global competitiveness. Indian shipyards should aspire to serve friendly nations and international markets and develop a global presence in maritime technology, ship repair, maintenance and engineering expertise.”

Regarding HSL’s priorities, Rajnath Singh underlined that timely delivery should become an organisational culture. He encouraged HSL to learn best practices from global shipyards and become stronger in indigenous design capabilities, collaborating with MSMEs, startups and development of lifecycle capability.

Emphasising Visakhapatnam’s strategic importance, the Defence Minister mentioned that the presence of the Eastern Naval Command, Naval Dockyard, HSL and Visakhapatnam Port provides the city with the foundation of an integrated maritime ecosystem. He called for Visakhapatnam to be transformed into a major maritime industrial hub bringing together naval expertise, shipbuilding capability, engineering talent and skilled manpower.

Rajnath Singh lauded the cooperation extended by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh and appreciated him for being supportive and Naidu’s government has been essaying a proactive role for advancing defence and maritime initiatives in the region.

Even as India possesses immense potential in shipbuilding, the Defence Minister emphasised that transforming it into capabilities to cater to global competitiveness is another challenge altogether. Encouraging shipbuilders to work toward this direction, the Defence Minister called upon paying special attention to some key focus areas such as apt delivery, design capacity, cost effectiveness and skilled manpower. FSS-1 'Surya' was launched ceremoniously at the shipyard as the president of the Navy Wives Wellness Association Laila Swaminathan announced the ship's name following traditional rituals.

The Fleet Support Ships will replenish combat ships at sea so that their mission continues uninterrupted.

Designed and constructed by the HSL, each FSS features enhanced cargo and fluid capacity, onboard first-line maintenance workshops, a helicopter deck for multi-role operations and self-defence systems.

In Visakhapatnam, the FSS-1 and other key assets were launched in the presence of Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, Janardhan Reddy, Minister of Roads, Buildings, Infrastructure and Development, M Sribharat, Visakhapatnam MP, Secretary, Defence Production, Sanjeev Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla and Chairman and Managing Director of HSL Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram (Retd), among others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rani Devalla

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Rani Devalla is an experienced journalist specialised in a range of beats. From crime to politics, health to human interest, education to defence along with entertainment and feature stories, Rani Devalla, an accomplished writer with a passion for exploring diverse genres, has been reporting for the past 14 years. Serving as Bureau Chief of The Hans India in Visakhapatnam, Rani Devalla contributes to the organisation's editorial department through daily reporting, special stories and feature stories. After completing B.Com, Rani Devalla pursued Masters in Human Resource Management. Prior to joining The Hans India, Rani Devalla worked as a Principal Correspondent with The Hindu Group for six-and-a-half years. With rich expertise, she brings diverse perspectives to her reporting that makes her narratives stand out. When not immersed in writing, the journalist spends time reading, travelling and journaling.

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