Huge opportunity for India Inc. as Navy focusses on indigenisation: R K Dhowan

NEW DELHI: Exhorting the Indian private sector to tap into the "huge opportunities" in the naval defence sector, Navy Chief Admiral R K Dhowan today said the force has prepared a 15-year indigenisation plan that will soon be shared with India Inc.

He said the Indian Navy has undertaken a "critical appreciation" of indigenisation in the warships and has found that there is a huge scope.

Dhowan said a warship can be divided into three segments - float, move and fight. In the float category, the Navy has achieved an indigenisation of 90 per cent. He said that it is matter of great pride that warship grade steel is now being manufactured in India.

"In the move segment, we have achieved 60 per cent of indigenisation. There is a huge opportunity for Indian industry as well as small and medium enterprises...," he said, inaugurating a seminar on indigenisation organised by the Navy and CII.

Lamenting that there has been only 30-40 per cent indigenisation in the fighter segment, weapons and sensors, he said this is an area of focus for the Navy.

Dhowan said that the Indian Navy's air fleet strength of 223 aircraft and helicopters is on the threshold of transformation, both in terms of numbers and capability.

"This is one area where there is a huge opportunity for indigenisation of our future naval aviation assets," he said.

The Navy chief said that the force has prepared a 15-year indigenisation plan up to 2030, in order to synergies efforts towards indigenisation.

"This is ready now and will be shared with Indian industry. We have also articulated and formulated the science and technology roadmap in coordination with DRDO. This is for indigenisation of future technologies," he said.

He added that the Indian Ocean region has emerged as the world's centre of gravity in maritime domain and India has vast maritime interests.

"The Indian Navy needs to remain a multi-dimensional network centric force which is ready to take on any challenges in the 21st century," he said, adding that there is a need for closer synergy between Navy, DRDO and industry so that future ships can be made 100 per cent in India.