Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC took over as  Vice Chief of the Air Staff  (VCAS) today.

Ministry of Defence (MoD), on Monday, awarded a contract to build eight anti-submarine vessels to public sector shipyard Garden Reach Shipyard and Engineers. The Kolkata based shipyard will deliver the boats within 84 months.

According to an MoD statement, “The 1st ship is to be delivered within 42 months from contract signing date and subsequent balance ships delivery schedule will be two ships per year.”

The First of the Class of 05 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), named “ICGS- Priyadarshini” built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was commissioned at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh today by Additional Director-General Kripa Ram Nautiyal, PTM, TM, CGC (ES), in the gracious presence of Inspector General Sivamani Paramesh, PTM, TM, COMCG (East), Commandant (JG) Mahavir Singh, Commanding Officer, ICGS Priyadarshini.

Leading an Indian delegation, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra, on Friday, visited the Russian shipyard to overview the manufacturing of the Project 11356 Frigates. The Kaliningrad based shipyard is currently manufacturing the hull and the body of the ship. The Shipyard is also involved in the capability enhancement of the Ministry of Defence owned Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) in building the other ships of the project.