L&T Defence Larsent And Toubro

Indian Coast Guard ICG Varad: Private sector defence major Larsen & Toubro Friday delivered the fifth offshore patrol vessel ICG Varad to India’s coastal guarding force. The 2100 tonne class ship has been built by L&T Shipbuilding Limited at its Kattupalli shipyard in Tamil Nadu.

“This offshore patrol vessel of 2140 tonne class is the fifth ship in the series of total seven ships, and it has been built in nineteen and a half months after its keel laying in July 2018,” said Jayant D Patil of L&T Defence.

India’s defence ministry signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro in March 2015 to supply the OPV under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship scheme Make in India.

“The unique feat achieved by the L&T Shipyard is that the vessel’s build quality reflects in the OPV’s sea acceptance trials having been completed in just one sea sortie lasting two days,” said Jayant D Patil.

“L&T is Proud to have built ICG Varad,” said the defence industry veteran, who is also the member of the board and whole time director of defence & smart technologies division of Larsen & Toubro.

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ICG Varad is likely to be inducted in Indian Coast Guard later this year after completion of trials and testing of its equipment and weapon systems.

The private sector defence contractor also launched another ship in the same class, ICGS Vajra on Thursday. ICGS will be the sixth OPV with the coastal guarding force of the country.

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Defence industry veteran Jayant D Patil, who is also President of Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), appreciated the coast guard for awarding the contract to domestic industry.

“Thank you Indian Coast Guard for all the encouragement and support in accepting all the vessels delivered by L&T ahead of schedule till date,” he said.

ICGS Varad given to coast guard.

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Last month, L&T Defence completed the delivery of more than half of the towed artillery guns K-9 Vajra to Indian Army ahead of schedule.

In 2017, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) was awarded the contract to manufacture 100 K9 Vajra T Guns through a global competitive bidding. L&T Defence roped in South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Corporation under the strategic partnership model to manufacture the guns in the country in a contract that is valued at around Rs 4,500 crore.

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