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Defence minister Rajnath Singh to commission Vigraha, indigenous patrol vessel, today
The Vigraha is equipped with advanced radars, the latest in navigation and communication technology, the ministry said. The sensors and machinery present in the ship make it capable of operating in tropical sea conditions.
Union defence minister Rajnath Singh is set to commission the Indian Coast Guard (ICG)'s offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Vigraha, seventh in the series, on Saturday, his office has said. According to the defence ministry, the 98-meter vessel will be based in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam (Vizag) and will be operated by a company of 11 officers and 110 sailors. The ship was designed and built indigenously by the Larsen & Toubro Ship Building Limited, the defence ministry statement had informed.
Vigraha equipped with state-of-the-art communications technology
The Vigraha is equipped with advanced radars, the latest in navigation and communication technology, the ministry said. The sensors and machinery present in the ship make it capable of operating in tropical sea conditions, it added. Moreover, in a significant boost to the defence capabilities of the armed forces, the Vigraha indigenous vessel has also been designed to carry one twin-engine helicopter and four high-speed boats for the purpose of boarding operation, search and rescue, law enforcement, and maritime patrol.
Weapons systems on Vigraha vessel
The vessel is armed with a 40/60 Bofors gun and fitted with two 12.7 mm stabilised remote control guns with a fire control system," the defence ministry statement said, without elaborating on other details due to security reasons.
Vigraha vessel capable of carrying 'pollution response' equipment
The design of the Vigraha vessel is also climate-sensitive, according to the official statement. The ship is capable of carrying "pollution response equipment" to contain oil spills at sea, a much-needed measure at a time when marine spills are threatening disastrous consequences for the society; economically, environmentally, and socially.
The Vigraha offshore patrol vessel will be operated on the eastern seaboard under the operational and administrative control of the Commander of the Coast Guard Region (East), the MoD statement detailed. With the addition of this vessel to its arsenal, the Indian Coast Guard will now have 157 ships and 66 aircraft in its inventory.
