KOCHI: The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract worth Rs 498.58 crore with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the normal refit and re-powering of Indian Naval Ship Betwa.
The contract was inked at a function in New Delhi in the presence of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Wednesday. CSL sources said the Kochi unit will undertake the refit work.
Under the contract, INS Betwa, a Brahmaputra-class missile frigate of the Indian Navy, will undergo a major propulsion system transformation, involving the replacement of its existing steam-based propulsion system with a diesel-engine-based propulsion system.
The refit will also include upgradation of its combat capabilities through installation of a modernised weapon suite, thereby enhancing the ship’s operational effectiveness.
The project is expected to strengthen indigenous capabilities in the ship repair and maintenance ecosystem. It will involve more than 50 MSMEs and generate significant employment opportunities in the shipbuilding & ancillary industries.
Built by Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers in Kolkata, the ship was launched on February 26, 1998 and commissioned on July 7, 2004.