Indian Shipyard To Sell Warships To Vietnam, Eyes $315 Million Philippines Navy Contract

An Indian shipyard, Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers (GRSE) will supply warships to Vietnam and is also eyeing an order worth Rs 2000 crore ($315 million) to export two 3500 tons Frigates to the Philippines Navy.

Vietnam order will be the second export of warships for India. For the Philippines order, GRSE is competing with six foreign ship yards - Navantia, Spain, STX, France and Hyundai, Daewoo, and STX from Korea.

"The sale of at least four patrol vessels comes as part of the $100 million credit line for military extended to Vietnam by India," Rear Admiral AK Verma (retd) Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE said.

These patrol vessels will be about 35 meters in length, 10 meters broad and will have specialized Aluminum Hull. They will be used to patrol the waters close to the shore. Vietnam needs at least seven more such ships and GRSE is expected to get the order for the rest of the ships as well.

Meanwhile, it is already selling a patrol ship - Coast Guard Ship Barracuda - to Mauritius at a cost of Rs. 350 crores ($55 million).

The Barracuda is capable of carrying out a variety of roles such as anti-piracy operations, search and rescue, surveillance missions to prevent smuggling and drug trafficking at sea and transportation of small detachment of troops.