The Indian Defence Minister’s recent visit to the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka served to review the continual infrastructural development of phase II of ‘Project Seabird.’ This article aims to explain Project Seabird’s objective and status, along with the Indian Navy’s ongoing efforts to achieve self-reliance.
Overview of Project Seabird and Its Phases
Project Seabird is an extensive plan to build a naval base spanning over an area of 11,169 acres. The first phase, accomplished in 2005, included the construction of a deep-sea harbour, breakwaters dredging, a township, a naval hospital, a dockyard uplift centre, and a ship lift.
Phase-II of Project Seabird was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2012. This phase entails expanding facilities to accommodate additional warships and establishing a new Naval Air Station, among other developments.
Currently, INS Kadamba is the third-largest Indian naval base. The completion of Phase II is projected to make it the largest naval base in the eastern hemisphere.
Unique Features of Karwar Naval Base
India’s sole aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, is stationed at Karwar. Notably, the base also features the country’s first sealift facility. This unique “shiplift” and transfer mechanism are used for docking and undocking ships and submarines. However, actualizing this project involves tackling several technical and environmental challenges.
Indian Navy’s Steps Towards Self-Reliance
For the past five fiscal years, more than two-thirds of the Navy’s modernization budget has been allocated to indigenous procurement. Out of the 48 ships and submarines, an impressive count of 46 is being domestically built.
Interesting to note is Project 75 (I), which envisions indigenous construction of submarines equipped with state-of-the-art Air Independent Propulsion system. The projected cost of this undertaking is Rs. 43,000 crore.
Scheduled for commissioning in 2022, Aircraft Carrier Vikrant stands as a shining symbol of the Navy’s strive towards self-reliance.
Strengthening Relations and Contributing to COVID-19 Relief Efforts
The Indian Navy is progressively fortifying India’s relationships with its maritime neighbours through its focus on ‘SAGAR’ (Security & Growth for All in Region), a strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) launched in 2015.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Indian Navy has played an essential role. From rescuing stranded Indian nationals overseas to importing critical equipment such as oxygen cylinders, the Navy has been consistently involved in the fight against COVID-19 under Operation Samudra Setu – I and II.