By IANS,
Mumbai : The French defence major DCNS and India’s integrated defence company Pipavav plan to enter into a strategic partnership to construct strategic assets, including modern warships for the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, an official said here Monday.
This will be effected through a strategic partnership for bringing DCNS technologies, methods and skills into Pipavav, India’s first and largest integrated defence company.
“Through the P75 Scorpene submarines, ongoing indigenisation programme and DCNS India, we are working to enlarge our footprint in India,” said DCNS chairman and CEO Patrick Boissier.
A 2.6 billion euro group, DCNS is known for its high-tech and very efficient platforms like Scorpene submarines, Mistral-Class LPDs, FREMM frigates and innovative Gowind vessels, among many others.
“DCNS and Pipavav are to provide India with advanced expertise on naval ships. The synergies between India’s largest integrated shipyard and proficiency of the largest European naval defence company would allow cost effective and timely manufacturing of high-class vessels for all customers,” Pipavav chairman Nikhil Gandhi said.
The partnership will boost India’s drive for self-reliance in the field of defence manufacturing and create a large number of local jobs besides strengthening Indo-French strategic relationship in the defence sector, he added.
Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd is among the leading companies in the Indian defence sector engaged in naval shipbuilding, repairs and dry-docking, with capacity to build all types of assets required by the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
Its major achievement includes construction of 74,500 dwt Panamax dry bulk carrier, the largest such vessel ever constructed in India.