Shocking: No protection for Indian navy ships

Having secured the approval, the MoD and navy painstakingly processed the case and even concluded Contract Negotiating Committee (CNC) with the parties involved.  

However, following the VVIP helicopter scandal of last year which had Finmeccanica's AgustaWestland 101 helicopters at the heart of the matter and Finmeccanica's involvement in the Ka28 upgrade, the MoD sought a clearance from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).  

Subsequently, a team from the MoD had provided to the CBI all the details of the case and had even got a go-ahead.  

However, for over a month now, the navy is yet to hear from the Defence Minister's office. Only once the Defence Minister accepts the navy's case can the file be sent to the CCS for vetting.

A request sent last week to the MoD's public relations wing for an official response on this went unanswered however sources pointed out that with the upcoming elections, 'shutters are being downed and things are moving slower, if at all.'

For a surface ship, the biggest threat emanates out of sub surface ships or submarines. While every ship has hull-mounted sonar for tracking sub surface threats, experts believe that for neutralizing enemy submarines, few can match the potency of an ASW helicopter.  

It is also the case that in the waters of Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the larger Indian Ocean, due to composition and currents, hull-mounted sonar often lose their edge, a point where ASW helicopters with their dunking sonars come in.

The other helicopter that the navy has for ASW roles is the Seaking Mk.42B which is rapidly ageing and is stretched with existing ship-based duties as well as guarding the other aircraft carrier, INS Viraat.  

Efforts are on deploy them on INS Vikramaditya too but being a western platform, marrying it to a Russian ship will at best be make do.

Devoid of helicopters, the navy will deploy more number of ASW ships for the job as well as further stretch its Seaking fleet, which again is a luxury few believe the navy can afford at present.