{"id":24848,"date":"2017-08-17T11:57:27","date_gmt":"2017-08-17T11:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/08\/17\/india-mine-sweeper-program-hits-another-roadblock\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:11:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:11:39","slug":"india-mine-sweeper-program-hits-another-roadblock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/asia-pacific\/2017\/08\/17\/india-mine-sweeper-program-hits-another-roadblock\/","title":{"rendered":"India mine-sweeper program hits another roadblock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEW DELHI \u2015 Goa Shipyard Limited\u2019s quest to build 12 high-tech mine countermeasure vessels for $5 billion, which is already delayed, has hit a roadblock over the selection of propulsion engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a source in India\u2019s Ministry of Defence, the Navy supports a multi-vendor tender process for the engine selection, but Goa Shipyard, citing reservations from Kangnam Corporation of South Korea, prefers a single-vendor nomination of German MTU engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goa Shipyard of India, which is state-owned, was nominated by the MoD to make 12 MCMVs for the Indian Navy. Kangnam was selected to provide the technology needed to build the vessels because India does not possess the required technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kangam-built MCMVs for the South Korean Navy are fitted with German MTU engines, and the company is offering the same to India. However, the Indian Navy is skeptical about the suitability of German MTU engines for Indian MCMVs because of the differences in geographical location and areas of operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India\u2019s coastline is about 7,500 kilometers \u2015 larger than that of South Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This mine-hunting craft by Kangnam Corporation uses a diesel MTU engine. (Kangnam Corporation)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe magnetic signature of engines are key parameters for selection of an engine for MCMV, whose primary function is to detect and kill mines at sea. German MTU engines are not inherently nonmagnetic as they are not designed specifically for MCMV operations,\u201d a senior Indian government official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir magnetism is suppressed using external magnet and other specialized, external systems, and these systems are required to be continuously returned to keep magnetic signature of ship within limits as ship sails from one port to another,\u201d the official continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The retuning, the official added, is not practical in a warlike situation \u201cwhere assets are required to be deployed at different ports of India at a very short notice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t