The Indian Navy has announced plans to acquire eight mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs).

MCMVs typically detect mines with high-definition sonar and destroy them using remotely detonated explosives. The new ships will replace 12 Pondicherry-class ocean minesweepers purchased in the 1970s and 1980s.

New Delhi has asked a number of countries to submit bids, including DCN International, Fincanteri, Izhar, Kangnam and Northrop Grumman. At least six of the ships are slated to be built at India's state-owned Goa Shipyard.

When completed, the MCMVs will be equipped with one 30mm anti-surface air gun, two 12.7mm heavy machine guns and a pair of Kavach chaff launchers manufactured by the Jabalpur Gun Carriage Factory.

The military is expected to deploy the ships for naval defence and search-and-rescue missions.

The Indian Navy has taken several significant steps to bolster its naval capabilities, including the acquistion of a Russian aicraft carrier and a 16,900-tonne Jalashwa transport ship. The 173-metre-long Landing Pontoon Dock (LPD), currrently the second largest Indian warship in service, is capable of transporting four landing craft, six helicopters and a battalion of 900 soldiers.

In addition, the Indian Navy recently deployed the Nagan, a low frequency towed array sonar system developed by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, in conjunction with Bharat Electronics, Larsen and Toubro, Uniflex Cables and Keltron. According to NPOL Director S Ananthanarayanan, the long-range sonar was "more effective in detecting and classifying the vessels being tracked at variable depths, as noise due to turbulence of own-ship propulsion will not corrupt the signals received from the target."

The MoD has also issued a tender for at least 16 advanced naval helicopters, and plans to form a fleet of advanced diesel submarines. X

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