The government on Thursday cleared proposals worth over Rs. 13,000 crore for a major expansion of the strategic naval airbase at Karwar where the Russian-origin aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov will be berthed. The cabinet committee on security, chaired by PM Manmohan Singh, also cleared a proposal to raise the first battalion of Sikkim Scouts for the army.

The navy will carry out military aircraft operations of Admiral Gorshkov, now rechristened INS Vikramaditya, at the base. It also plans to deploy Scorpene submarines and a number of surface ships at the Karwar base after the completion of the project.

Codenamed Project Seabird Phase IIA, the work will involve construction of a wide range of new facilities.