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Kolkata: India will now export two warships to Sri Lanka after delivering a warship to Mauritius for the first time, Minister of State for Defence Production Rao Inderjit Singh said on Saturday.

"From Sri Lanka, we have received an order to build two off-shore patrol vehicles (OPV) and they are under construction in Goa Shipyard," the minister said on the sidelines of the ceremonial delivery of warship CGS Barracuda to the Mauritian Coast Guard.

He said the ships are entirely indigenously built and there hasn't been any technology cooperation with any foreign partners.

"This is the first time the export barrier has been breached... This will be the first in the long line of ships that we hope to export from our country... I think the country can feel proud that the ship-building industry has come of age," the minister said.

CGS Barracuda is an OPV built by government-owned 'mini ratna' Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) and is priced at $58.5 million. The warship completed sea trials last month after which the official hand over process was started.

The 83 crew capacity warship will be used by the Mauritian Coast Guard for anti-piracy and anti-poaching operations. Besides, it is also capable of search and rescue missions, transportation of small detachment of troops and helicopter operations and can handle external firefighting. The warship can also be used for cargo handling.

"The ship is provided with improved habitability and hosts all modern facilities (for the crew) with fully air-conditioned modular accommodation," chairman and managing director of GRSE, Rear Admiral (retd) A. K. Verma, said.

Kolkata-based GRSE has built 92 warships for the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard since inception including the country's first indigenously built warship in 1961.

Sept 25, Colombo: A Chinese Navy submarine's visit to Sri Lanka's Colombo Port prior to the Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the island nation last week is seen as China projecting its military power into Indian Ocean, according to Duowei News, a Chinese newspaper based in the United States.

The ChangZheng 2, a Type 091 Han-class nuclear-powered submarine has become the first Chinese submarine to visit Colombo Harbor in Sri Lanka according to China Military online.

The Chinese submarine has arrived at Colombo Harbor one day before the Chinese President began his visit on September 16.

In addition to the Changzheng 2, there were two other People's Liberation Army Navy warships in the harbor, the China Military online reported.

The Chinese Navy type-039 submarine "Great Wall No.329" and the submarine support ship "Changxing Island" of the North China Sea Fleet under the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) have reportedly visited Colombo Port from September 7 -14.

The ships have docked at the pier of Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT).

It is said that this is the first time for the Chinese Navy to send submarine to visit foreign country, and also the first time for the Chinese conventional submarine to be confirmed appearance in the Indian Ocean.

Taken together with the joint naval exercises with Iran launched Wednesday, this seems to suggest China's ambitions to project its military power into the Indian Ocean, Duowei said.

The Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) took delivery of a Bay-class patrol boat, donated by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS), at a flag-transfer ceremony in Cairns on 30 March.

An ACBPS official told IHS Jane's on 2 April that the 38 m vessel - the former ACV Corio Bay , rechristened SLNS Oshadi - will be joined by another patrol boat following a pledge made by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in November 2013 to donate the vessels to help enhance the SLN's maritime security capacity. The ACBPS has not revealed the estimated delivery date for the second vessel.

According to technical specifications provided by manufacturer Austal Ships, Bay-class vessels have a maximum range of 1,000 n miles at a top speed of 20 kt. They can carry 12 crew and two landing craft.

As part of the transfer process ACBPS Marine Unit officers spent 17 days training SLN personnel in the various aspects of managing a Bay-class vessel. "The training was comprehensive. It included activities ranging from ship's deck work and familiarisation of electronic systems and equipment on board, to undertaking operational drills," said Nigel Perry, ACBPS national director of border force capability.

The fully furbished vessel, with 284,026 n miles under its belt, will make the 4,800 n mile journey to Colombo, where it will assume maritime patrol duties in the Indian Ocean.

Under a programme announced in June 2010, Australia is replacing its Bay-class boats with larger Cape-class patrol vessels, which will provide increased crew and range capacity. Australia pledged to donate its retired boats to regional maritime agencies in the fight against smuggling.

On 14 February, IHS Jane's reported that Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison had pledged to donate two Bay-class vessels to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

New Delhi: India has taken seriously the reports that Sri Lanka has permitted another Chinese attack submarine to dock at a Lankan port.

According to some media reports, the second docking may soon take place.

The presence of Chinese submarines across Palk Straits has troubled the Indian government which is making another call to Lankan authorities but this time they want to convey strong displeasure. This news came as a shock for the government right after the Chinese submarine docking in Sri Lanka was brought days after the visit of Vietnam PM Nguyen Tan Dung to India.  It was in complete disregard to India's message to Lankan defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa earlier this month.

The Chinese task force of submarines, both diesel and nuclear-powered (of which three can fire ballistic missiles), represent some of the Beijing's most atrocious military capabilities. Chinese nuclear submarines have been the focus of international media since one of them propelled through Indian Ocean waters for the first time earlier this year, making its way to the Persian Gulf.

In a recent report, Wall Street Journal described the Chinese submarine fleet (taskforce) as Beijing's most significant military challenge in the region. And for them to surface at Lankan ports brings alive some of New Delhi's worst fears of China's expanding presence in India's neighborhood.

With the election of Mahinda Rajapaksa as president in 2005, assistance from China to Sri Lanka has grown manifold, especially in infrastructure.

The Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) took delivery of a second Bay-class patrol vessel donated by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) on 3 June.

The 38 m vessel, ACV Hervey Bay , has been rechristened SLNS Omaya and will join sister ship SLNS Oshadi in Colombo where it will assume maritime patrol duties. Both vessels are being donated to the SLN following a pledge made by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abott in November 2013 to assist Sri Lanka in combating people smuggling.

The Bay-class patrol vessel was manufactured by Austal Ships and served for 15 years with ACBPS prior to its transfer. Omaya has 3,722 sea days and 272,905 n miles under its belt. Technical specifications provided by the manufacturer indicate a maximum range of 1,000 n miles and a top speed of 20 kt. The vessel can carry a crew of 12 and two landing craft. Omaya is equipped with a Wesmar SS 390E dipping sonar and a Racal Decca surface search radar.

Prior to the vessel's transfer, SLN personnel underwent training conducted by ACBPS officers. Omaya 's 4,800 n mile journey home from Cairns to Colombo will also be accompanied by a detachment of officers from the ACBPS Marine Unit as part of the vessel's familiarisation programme.

ACBPS National Director Border Force Capability, Nigel Perry, described the vessel's handover as an important milestone in Australia's and Sri Lanka's efforts to enhance maritime security throughout the region. "The gifting of the two vessels exhibits the close and co-operative relationship Australia shares with Sri Lanka, aimed to combat people smuggling closer to the point of origin and transit countries," he said.

The ACBPS is replacing its Bay-class boats with larger Cape-class patrol vessels under a programme announced in June 2010. The Cape-class boats are said to provide increased crew and range capacity in the country's effort to combat illicit maritime activities. Canberra has pledged to donate the retired boats to regional maritime agencies in their fight against people smuggling.

Besides Sri Lanka, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has also received a pledge made by Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison for two Bay-class patrol vessels.