Milestone of India's Self-reliance in Ship Building on par with the world.

To protect shores:Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan addressing officers and men at the commissioning of INS Cankarso and INS Kondul in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

Navy launches two water jet-propelled fast attack craft

VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan launched two water jet-propelled fast attack craft, INS Cankarso and INS Kondul, at the naval jetty here on Tuesday.

Induction of the two vessels into the Navy showed India's self-reliance and that its quality in shipbuilding was on a par with the world's best, he said. With coastal security attaining new dimensions, the two ships with speed and capability would meet the requirements of protecting the shores, he said.

It was a rare occasion that two ships were launched simultaneously, said Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command Anup Singh. He said India was among the very few which had a builder's navy — which could design and build warships. The two new ships arrived just in time to fill the void in the Navy's efforts to seamlessly patrol the western coast, the ENC chief said.

Earlier, K.C. Sekhar, chairman and managing director of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), which built the ships, said both vessels were more than 90 per cent indigenous and built in two-and-a-half years. They were the fifth and sixth among a package of 10 fast attack craft, and the rest would be delivered by December.

Commanding Officers of INS Cankarso and INS Kondul Arun Bahuguna and Shashidhar R. Patil read out the commissioning warrants. This was followed by the hoisting of the naval ensign on board the two ships and breaking of the commissioning pennant.

INS Cankarso and INS Kondul, named after two islands off Goa and in Nicobar, have a displacement of 325 tons each and reach a speed of 35 knots. Each has a complement of four offices and 45 sailors. Both will be based in Goa.Flag Officer of Goa Naval Area Sudhir Pillai was present.