Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh dedicates to the Nation Indigeneously built Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Vigraha’

Chennai :28/8/21:  Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh dedicated to the Nation indigenously built Coast Guard Ship ‘Vigraha’ in Chennai on August 28, 2021. Terming it an important step towards achieving ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’, the Raksha Mantri said the ship is a perfect example of a successful partnership between public and private sectors to realise the dream of self-reliant India as envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and also a reflection of the significant improvement in India’s coastal defense capability. Saying that public-private partnership is the way forward to achieving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, he highlighted that for the first time in the history of Indian defense, contracts for not one or two, but seven vessels have been signed with a private sector company. And more importantly, within seven years of signing this agreement in 2015, not only launch but also the commissioning of all these seven vessels have been completed today.

On the changing global security environment, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that countries around the world are strengthening their military power and the Government, through various reforms, is ensuring that India is not left behind. “We are leaving no stone unturned to develop a strong & powerful military and a self-reliant defence industry,” he stressed. He listed out some of the reforms including simplification of the process of licensing in the defence sector, accelerating the AoN and RFP processes, emphasizing on exports, encouraging private sectors, establishing defence corridors, promulgation of the new Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020.

ICGS Vigraha will be based at Visakhapatnam and operate on India’s Eastern Seaboard under the Operational and Administrative Control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East).  ICGS Vigraha is commanded by Commandant PN Anoop has complement of 11 Officers and 110 men.

The event was also attended by Shri T Thennarasu, Minister for Industries of Tamil Nadu, General M M Naravane, Chief of Army Staff, Director General Krishnaswamy Natarajan, Director General Indian Coast Guard, Additional Director General VS Pathania, Coast Guard Commander (Eastern seaboard), Inspector General AP Badola Commander Coast Guard Region (East), Commandant PN Anoop, Commanding Officer, ICG Vigraha.