Aiming to induct 150 warships in next 10 years, the Indian Navy is grappling to have enough hands on deck as presently it has 20 percent shortage of officers in its rank.
In its Long Term Perspective Plans, the navy is set to almost double the number of fighting platforms in its flotilla in the wake of its strategy to project force beyond borders and also to fulfill its duty as the nodal agency for coastal security in the country. By 2022 the Indian Navy has planned to add 150 more ships to guard its 7,516 km long coastline, but what is proving to be a difficulty is the quality manpower as it faces shortage both in officers and sailors ranks.
According to sources, presently strength of officers sanctioned by the government is about 10,000. However, the force is 20 percent short of its desired strength. Similarly the present strength of sailors in the navy are nearly 50,000 again 24 percent short of the sanctioned strength.
Indian Navy officials told said, "We are undertaking various measures like aggressive publicity campaigns and setting up of an
additional Service Selection Board for the recruitment." The number of recruited officers is rising gradually but it will take years before it can attain the full strength.
Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma assessing refurbishment on board Admiral Gorshkov during his Russia visit last year
What has restrained the situation from becoming acute is that the modernization will take place in a phased manner. At the moment 50 warships are under-construction in various shipyards across the country and abroad.
"These 50 also include Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and three Teg class frigates. The rest 46 ships are being made constructed in various shipyards across the country," said the Indian Navy's Chief of Material Vice Admiral G Madhavan said.
The first of the Teg class frigates will be commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 27 in Russia only. The much awaited Admiral Gorshkov will join its fleet on December 4 this year.
Apart from these, 50 warships are under various stages of contract. These also include four amphibious Landing Platform Decks (LPDs) to be constructed under Rs 16,000 crore contract. A Request for Proposal (RfP) in this regard has already been issued to five Indian shipyards, including a private one. These shipyards will be scouting for partners in the foreign market to provide them with desired technology. As per the laid down terms the first two LPDs will be constructed by the selected shipyard and the remaining two
will be made by the Public Sector shipyard Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
The remaining warships include counter mine ships, submarine attack crafts, deep submersible vessels and 80 fast attack crafts from Sri Lanka. The induction 150 new warships would bring down the average age of the Indian naval platforms to 150.
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