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CAG Audit Report: Indian Navy Under Water Capibilities Depleted 33 per cent2008-10-24 As India plans to strengthen its submarine fleet by inducting six more diesel-powered vessels, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has come down heavily on the government for its failure to keep up with warship construction and induction plans to augment under-water fighting capabilities.In its report tabled in Lok Sabha today, the CAG said submarines were a crucial element for the Indian Navy, which aspires to have 'blue water' capabilities. Incidentally, 'blue water' is described as a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans, which the Indian Navy desperately wants to be, with India's economic and national interest expanding globally since the economy was opened up in early 1990s. "The Defence Ministry could not adhere to its submarine construction and induction plan, which may impact operational preparedness of Indian Navy," the CAG said in its performance audit report for 2008. "The Indian Navy currently hold just 67 per cent of the force level envisaged in its 1985 plan," it noted. At present, the submarine fleet strength of the Navy includes 12 Kilo-class and four HDW. Currently, six Scorpene submarines are under construction at the Mazgaon Docks in Mumbai and the Navy has floated fresh Request for Information to acquire six more diesel-powered submarines. The report said with serious slippages in the induction plan, the Navy was left with an aging fleet with more than 50 per cent of submarines having completed 75 per cent of their operational life. "Some of the submarines have already outlived their maximum service life," it added. Sponsored Links
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