DEF-GOA SHIPYARD-NAIK

Defence ministry to extend all support to Goa Shipyard: Naik
    Panaji, Jun 10 (PTI) Union Minister of State for
Defence Shripad Naik on Monday said the Centre would provide
all support to the Goa Shipyard Limited so that it can
complete all its ongoing defence-related projects on time.
    Naik held a meeting with Goa Shipyard Limited Chairman
and Managing Director Commodore (retd) B B Nagpal to review
various projects, after the mine counter-measure vessels
project to guard India's critical sea lanes hit a dead-end.
    He said the issues faced by the Goa Shipyard, located
around 40 km from here in Vasco town, pertaining to orders
from the defence ministry would be addressed immediately.
    "The ministry will give all required support to the
shipyard to complete the projects on time. We will also ensure
that their order book is full," Naik told reporters after the
meeting.
    The Goa Shipyard has required skilled manpower and a
track record of completing its projects before time, he said.
    Besides orders from the Indian defence forces, the
ministry will also try to get assignments (orders) from navies
of Sri Lanka and Russia for this public sector undertaking
here, the minister said.
    "The Goa Shipyard does not face any major challenges
but there are some small issues which would be sorted out by
the Union government," he said.
    The Goa Shipyard earlier called off negotiations with
a South Korean Company over a Rs 32,000 crore minesweepers or
mine counter-measure vessels project following differences
over a host of issues, including terms and conditions for
technology transfer, according to sources.
    According to the original understanding, the Goa
Shipyard and the Kangam Corporation were to build 12
minesweepers in India under the 'Make in India' initiative and
the deliveries were to be completed within nine years of the
start of the project.
    However, both sides struggled to finalise various key
aspects of the project. PRI RPS
GK GK