Rajnath Singh, the Minister of Defence, commissioned the first indigenously designed and built pollution control ship of the Indian Coast Guard, Samudra Pratap on Monday, at the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Vasco, South Goa. The vessel of 114.5 meters with the official delivery to the Coast Guard in December is made of more than 60 percent of indigenous content, which indicates the increased independence of India in defence and maritime functions.
Samudra Pratap with a weight of 4,200 tonnes and a top speed of over 22 knots and a range of 6,000 nautical miles is an important equipment in long-range operations. Authorities added that the ship will be vital in enforcing the marine regulations in the control of marine pollution, maritime law enforcement, search and rescue operations, and protection of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India. The debut is a big leap towards India in trying to enhance its maritime security and environmental protection capabilities.
The dignitaries who attended the commissioning ceremony were Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Union Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Indian Coast Guard Director General Paramesh Sivamani among others. In his speech at the event, the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pointed out the significance of the maritime vision of India. He told me that India feels that the seas belong not to a single nation, but to humankind. In the sharing of heritage, the sharing occurs. This is the reason why today India has become a responsible maritime power.
As one of the aspects on which the government has laid emphasis on inclusivity, Singh also commended the Coast Guard on its emphasis on empowering women in its operations, wherein sufficient inclusion of women is a continuous process. I am proud that with this vision in mind, the Coast Guard has considered the empowerment of women properly. It is something we can be proud of, you see, said he.
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