India’s polar ship still a long way off

Context

India’s plans to acquire a Rs. 1,000-crore polar research vehicle (PRV) a ship that can cut through ice sheets and glaciers may see fresh delays.

Issue

• The new ‘Make in India’ policy gives Indian companies an edge in bagging these contracts, which are open to international and local bidders.
• This concession allows an Indian company, which may have lost out to a foreign company in the final bidding stage on price, to match the latter’s lower, winning bid and bag the contract.

New tenders

• The government had authorized the Goa-based National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), a facility that comes under the Earth Sciences Ministry, to acquire a Polar Research Vehicle (PRV) in 2014.
• An Indian company can also partner with a foreign company for the bidding. The ship is expected to be ready within three years.

India’s ambitions

• With a lifespan of 30 years, the ship is expected to be central to India’s ambitions in the Arctic and Antarctica in coming years.
• India has announced plans to rebuild Maitri, its research station in Antarctica, and make it impervious to its harsh environment for at least 25 years.