Kolkotta and now Kochi with Chennai to follow-the Indian Navy ships look formidable
(courtesy The Quint, see http://www.thequint.com/opinion/2015/09/30/kolkata-and-now-kochi-indian-navy-ships-look-formidable#.VgwPtMgYXyg.facebook)
There is an old tradition that the Indian Navy has scrupulously followed. New Ships are named after their illustrious predecessors with an unforgettable legacy, names of weapons, hill ranges, rivers and capital/metropolitan cities of our states. Hence we have Vikrant under construction at Kochi, to replace the first aircraft carrier which was recently scrapped, Mysore and Delhi have replaced the old cruisers that carried the same names, tankers Deepak and Shakti and a host of other platforms are some examples of this tradition.
Kolkotta, Kochi and Chennai are names that did not exist in the past as they were better known as Calcutta, Cochin and Madras. When ships of project 15A, as they were designated for design and construction purposes, was entrusted to the Mazagaon Docks at Mumbai for construction in 2001 little did we pause to comprehend the phenomenal advances made in indigenous warship building and the sheer quality of the end products that would carry the new names Kolkotta, Kochi and Chennai.
INS Kochi the second ship of this class, was commissioned today at Mumbai by Defence Minister Parrikar . It would be interesting and instructive to examine the profile of this ship in terms of the challenges yet to be addressed to fulfil the objectives of "Make in India" as opposed to "Made in India"
The Indian Navy placed great emphasis on indigenous construction of warships in as early as 1960s. Concurrently a full- fledged warship design team was created as an in-house asset, reporting to the CNS through the VCNS. From building the British designed Leander class Frigates at Mazagaon Docks ,the first of which, INS Nilgiri entered service in 1972, the Navy has successfully designed and produced Aircraft Carriers, Destroyers, Frigates, Missile and anti-submarine corvettes, Tankers, amphibious vessels, nuclear and conventional submarines and a number of offshore patrol vessels and fast attack craft. The building capacity has been shared by Defence Public sector yards on both coasts.
INS Kochi and her sister ships fall under the category of large Destroyers with state of the art multipurpose capabilities to tackle threats in all three dimensi ons,i.e. surface, air and underwater. Most notably, the Brahmos surface to surface missile which is a standard fit in front line ships is a supersonic missile with unmatched strike capability. The jointly developed Barak 8 surface to air missile is a product of Israeli ingenuity and Indian talent to interphase complex technology to suit Indian conditions.
In order to transit from 'Made in India" to "Make in India" we need to create domestic design and manufacturing facilities for ship propulsion systems and selected sensor and weapon systems.
We presently have 42 ships and submarines on order in various yards in the country. To progressively equip them with indigenously produced propulsion packages and futuristic sensor weapon packages we need to overcome some grave challenges. These need both organisational and infrastructural paradigm shifts.
Private sector involvement in R&D , design and production activities has the potential to considerably enhance our ability to arrest time and cost overruns. Aircraft engine manufacturing facility in India, which also has much in common with ship propulsion systems, is an activity which appears to have gained traction recently. If progressed it may open a new window to indigenize the 'move' component of our war ships.
The first challenge of organisational reforms involves not only changes in the current work ethos of the parent ministry but structural realignments by professionalising and expediting decision-making. This includes replacing generalists with specialists as is done in economic management of the country.
If the Kochi can be designed , built, manned and operated in today's context why cannot we continue the existing process until we find answers to indigenizing the whole process?
Firstly the current system of decision making is laboriously slow and expensive. There is little accountability for delayed decisions. The term opportunity costs figures only in audit reports which rest in parliament after proforma examination of guilt. Consequently, the build time in public sector yards is unacceptably long. The cost of ship building can be considerably reduced if time over runs are minimised. If left unaddressed ships would become unaffordable in the near future.
Secondly, if we continue to rely on foreign suppliers for propulsion and sensors /weapons the ability of our ships to move and fight can be held to ransom during critical periods of preparedness. The friendly supplier of today can turn hostile tomorrow.
Thirdly, it is not often in the history of a developing country that economic, ,industrial, commercial and proficiency in science and technology of its populace achieve critical mass and coagulate under a liberal regime in under a century. We are perhaps at the take off stage if enabling mechanisms are put in place. Now is the time to act.
Let the entry of INS Kochi herald the change that we are aspiring for. ISRO has set an example that we ought to follow.
Aim for excellence.
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