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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.
What is Maitri?
Maitri Maitri is India’s second permanent research station in Antarcticaas part of the Indian Antarctic Programme. Maitri is situated on the rocky mountainous region called Schirmacher Oasis. It is only 5 km away from Russian Novolazarevskaya Station. The station has modern facilities to carry out research in various disciplines, such as biology, earth sciences, glaciology, atmospheric sciences, meteorology, cold… Continue reading What is Maitri?
What is National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research?
The National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) is an Indian research and development institution, situated in Vasco, Goa. It is an autonomous Institution of the Department of Ocean Development (DOD), Government of India which is responsible for administering the Indian Antarctic Program and maintains the Indian government’s Antarctic research station, Maitri. NCAOR has been playing a major role in national Antarctic programs. It is… Continue reading What is National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research?
