India, US to expand naval ship repair network
Kolkata port as they eye a new Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) that will allow US warships to access repair services at the port, according to persons aware of the matter. This is part of attempts by New Delhi and Washington to make India a major hub for maintenance and repair of US Navy ships in the Indo-Pacific. Ehe US navy signed MSRA deals with Larsen and Toubro as well as Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd last year.
Just last month, Cochin Shipyard Ltd also signed a similar deal. These agreements provide the world’s most powerful navy access to Indian ports, including Cochin and Chennai’s Kattupalli. Talks are also on for an MSRA agreement with Goa Shipyard Ltd.
Queries mailed to the Kolkata Port Trust, the US Embassy in New Delhi and the ministry of external affairs went unanswered at press time. “MSRA qualifies a shipyard to compete for carrying out ship repair projects for US Navy. The MSRA includes clauses on security, payments, liabilities etc.
The agreement is reviewed every five years, or as required. Undertaking repairs of these ships serves the commercial interest of Indian shipbuilders and will potentially lead to more such opportunities. An American Navy ship shall be berthed in an Indian shipyard for the duration of its repair," minister of atate for sefence Ajay Bhatt told the Lok Sabha in 2023.
The addition of Kolkata Port to this growing network will deepen India’s defence relationship with America. It could also potentially lead to increased interest from American allies abroad, like the UK, in using India as a hub for ship maintenance and repair. In March this year, the UK's Royal Navy said two of its auxiliary ships would undergo repair and maintenance at Katupalli Shipyard in Chennai.
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