IAF, Coast Guard proposals worth Rs 2,300 cr cleared

New Delhi: The government has cleared the acquisition of six Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) expected to be worth around Rs 1,800 crore for the Coast Guard to enhance its maritime surveillance capabilities. A Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, which was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also cleared a proposal for acquiring around 500 Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs) for the fighter aircraft fleet of the IAF, defence sources said in New Delhi.[caption id=“attachment_275731” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Strengthening the IAF. Image courtesy PIB”]  [/caption] The PGMs are likely to be procured from Israeli company Rafael and would be fitted on the IAF’s fighter aircraft fleet. The deal for the PGMs is expected to be worth around Rs 500 crore. The six Offshore Patrol Vessels approved for the Coast Guard would be constructed by state-owned Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), which has been nominated for the task, they said. These new vessels would be more than 100 metres in length and equipped with helicopters to help the maritime guarding force in enhancing its operational capabilities, sources said. After the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, the government has taken several steps to strengthen the capabilities of the Coast Guard. It also decided to double the Coast Guard’s size in terms of both assets and manpower.