Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd celebrates 250th Foundation Day

Mumbai: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) celebrated its 250th Foundation Day on May 14, 2024. To mark the day, a series of events were organised in Mumbai, presided over by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. These included the inauguration of adjacent land acquired from Mumbai Port Authority (MPA); launch of a prototype of indigenous midget submarine; commissioning of Solar Electric Hybrid boat & Fuel Cell Electric Ferry; release of MDL’s Commemorative Coin; and a day-long technical seminar.

In his address, the Defence Secretary termed the MDL as a precious jewel of India, which has immensely contributed towards the nation’s economy and security by building up the capabilities for Naval as well as commercial purposes. He commended the MDL for being the country’s biggest shipyard contributing through most of the assets of the Indian Navy, having a big export market and collaboration with foreign players.

Aramane asserted that India occupies a central role in the Indo-Pacific region and consistent efforts are being made to strengthen the shipbuilding capabilities of the country by involving & motivating the private sector to be a part of the country’s growth story. Underscoring the importance of achieving self-reliance in today’s times, he exhorted the MDL to fully realise its true potential in warship building technology. He urged the shipyard to work with the private sector and build a consortium of shipbuilders to cater to the domestic needs as well as the requirements of friendly nations.

Defence Secretary highlighted the major role being played by the Indian Navy in providing security to the region and beyond, including its operations in the Arabian sea. He stated that the geopolitical scenario is such that the Navy will continue to play a pivotal role, for which shipbuilders will have to contribute immensely. “India cannot depend on others for constant supply of anything. There is a need to develop indigenous capacity to produce latest technologies through innovation. To defend our borders, we need to master top-class technologies,” he said.

The Defence Secretary also commissioned the Solar Electric Hybrid boat with top speed of 11 Knots designed and co-developed with indigenous technology partner. The running cost is almost 1/10th of a diesel boat, and has a very low maintenance cost.

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