A special ceremony was held at the L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli to mark the keel laying of the third Cadet Training Ship (Yard 18005). Rear Admiral Ravi Kumar Dhingra, Flag Officer Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Area, led the ceremony. He was joined by Rear Admiral G. K. Harish (Retd), Head of Shipbuilding at L&T, and senior officials from the Indian Navy and L&T.
The project to build three Cadet Training Ships was finalized on 7 March 2023 between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and L&T. These ships will provide practical sea training for naval officer cadets after their basic training on land. They will also offer training opportunities to cadets from friendly foreign nations.
This event is another big step in the Indian Navy’s goal of building ships within India, supporting the Government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and ‘Make in India’ initiatives. The Indian Navy plans to have three such training ships as part of its long-term development plan for 2012-2027.
The keel-laying ceremony highlights India’s growing ability to build advanced ships locally and strengthens its efforts to train and prepare future naval officers. (PR)