Context: Samudra Pratap, built with over 60% indigenous content, will substantially enhance the Coast Guard’s capability in fire-fighting, maritime safety, environmental protection, and surveillance.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS Samudra Pratap, the first of two indigenously designed pollution control vessels (PCVs) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in Goa.
- The Minister described the ship, built with over 60% indigenous content, as a symbol of India’s maturing defence industrial ecosystem.
- The vessel was built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).
- The Defence Ministry: Samudra Pratap is India’s first homegrown pollution control vessel and the largest ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet so far. Its induction substantially enhances the ICG’s capability in pollution response, fire-fighting, maritime safety, environmental protection, and extended surveillance across the country’s vast maritime zones.
- Commissioning the ship, Mr. Singh reiterated the government’s goal to increase indigenous content in warships to 90%. He said the vessel integrated multiple roles on a single platform, making it effective not only for pollution control but also for coastal patrol and maritime security in today’s complex maritime environment.
- The ship is equipped with advanced pollution detection systems, specialised pollution response boats, modern firefighting equipment, and aviation facilities including a helicopter hangar, enabling greater operational reach even in rough sea conditions.
Protecting marine life
- Mr. Singh noted that these capabilities would ensure rapid detection and containment of pollution incidents, helping protect coral reefs, mangroves, fisheries, and marine biodiversity, directly supporting coastal communities and the blue economy.
- Emphasising that marine environmental protection is both a strategic necessity and a moral responsibility, the Defence Minister praised the ICG’s role in oil spill response, maritime law enforcement, and coastal cleanliness.
Women officers
- In a notable first, Samudra Pratap will have two women officers aboard. Mr. Singh hailed it as a proud step towards a more inclusive and gender-neutral Coast Guard, highlighting the growing role of women in frontline maritime operations.
- Reaffirming the government’s commitment to modernising the ICG, he stressed the need for an intelligence-driven and integration-centric force to address emerging technology-led threats. He expressed confidence that Samudra Pratap will significantly strengthen India’s maritime governance.
Sources: The Hindu