US Navy Ship Arrives At Tamil Nadu Port For Repairs, 3rd Within A Year

In what's being seen as yet another defence cooperation between India and the US, Salvor became the first US ship to dock at the Kattupalli shipyard in Tamil Nadu today after the US signed an agreement with L&T.

This is the third such US naval ship undergoing repairs in India. On August 7 last year, US navy ship Charles Drew had arrived at Kattupalli shipyard for repairs. The vessel had sailed into the Kattupalli shipyard after the US gave a contract to the Larsen & Toubro (L&T). Another ship, Matthew Perry, was also repaired there earlier this year.

The agreement with L&T is valid for five years. US consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin said, "It's a landmark development and a symbol of strengthened US-India partnership."

This is being seen as a validation of the capability of Indian ship building industry coming of age as the US chose this after a certification process. With six shipyards in India, it's a 2 billion industry that's being seen as wide-ranging and cost-effective. The L&T Shipyard has built 70 ships and repaired or refitted 100 ships in the last 10 years - catering to domestic and foreign clients.

Arun Ramchandani, Head of Defence, L&T Shipyard, said, "It's an enabling agreement and this is a great beginning."

The move, however, has faced opposition over environmental concerns.

Frequent sailing of large vessels, environmentalists say, would lead to expansion of the port in an environmentally sensitive zone.

G Sundarrajan, an environmentalist and founder of Poovulagin Nanbargal, told NDTV that "any expansion will destroy the Barrier Island and let sea water enter the lagoon. The adjoining Pulicat lake is the second-largest brackish water lake. This would trigger huge sea erosion. Fishermen too would lose their livelihood".

The US used to get its vessels repaired in Asia in Korea and Japan earlier. There is speculation that this agreement could change the landscape of Tamil Nadu's coast into a geopolitical hotspot.

"We are against war. Let US and China fight anywhere, why should we become potential targets," added Sundarrajan. However, the US has denied this. Captain Michael Farmer, US' Chief of Defense Cooperation, said "US has no plans to set up a naval base here."

This development also comes amid China taking over Sri Lanka's Hambantota port on a 99-year lease following the island nation's loan default.

Responding to environmental concerns, Arun Ramchandani added, "We have all environmental clearances. All our expansion will be only within the available 4,000 acres here."