India-UK to sign implementing agreement for electric propulsion system of Indian Navy ships

This is a follow up step decided at the India-UK Joint Working Group’s (JWG’s) third meeting, held recently at Portsmouth Naval Base in UK, where a Statement of Intent (SoI) was inked for the electric propulsion system plan by the defence ministries of the two countries.“To achieve this, the JWG agreed to establish a subordinate working group that will now develop the Implementing Arrangement (IA). Once reviewed and signed, the programme aims to accelerate towards the launch phase,” the UK Defence in India tweeted on Tuesday 10 Dec.

It will see both sides working to develop electric propulsion technology for the Indian Navy’s new Landing Dock Platforms that are planned to be launched in 2030. Later, the technology is planned to be used in future Indian Navy ships.The next generation technology holds immense benefits such as lower emissions by naval platforms since electric propulsion systems are an environment-friendly choice even with diesel generators, the UK Defence in India stated in its post.While working on the new designs, the UK Defence in India emphasised, “lessons will be drawn from the London’s progress from Type 23 frigates, through to LPD, Type-45 destroyers, Landing Ship Docks and onto the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier”.

The Queen Elizabeth Class carriers are the first Royal Navy ships to operate through an integrated electric propulsion (IFEP) system, which combines gas turbine generators as well as diesel generators to power the ship.While two Rolls-Royce Marine Trent MT30 units work as gas turbine generators, the carrier uses four Wärtsilä diesel generator sets.

After the Statement of Intent was signed by the two sides, Indian Ministry of Defence stated on November 29 that the landing platform docks will be built at an Indian shipyard, symbolising the commitment to promote indigenous development of niche technologies.

The latest defence manufacturing cooperation agreement has added some energy to otherwise laggard industry-to-industry engagement between the two countries.

While other European countries especially France has emerged as key defence partner to invest in India’s atmanirbhar Bharat scheme, Britain has for long held the view that New Delhi does not offer a potent market.

That explains the fact that only 3% of India’s defence acquisition in the last decade have been sourced from the Britain, according to UK-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).