India to Build First Indigenous Polar Research Vessel, Boosting Maritime and Scientific Capabilities
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | India to build its first indigenous Polar Research Vessel (PRV) |
| Date | June 3, 2025 |
| Parties Involved | Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), India & Kongsberg, Norway |
| Key Objective | Indigenous design and construction of a Polar Research Vessel (PRV) |
| Purpose of PRV | Deep-sea ocean exploration, marine ecosystem research, polar ice and climate studies |
| Guiding Authority | National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) |
| Background | India previously relied on foreign vessels for polar exploration |
| Event Highlights | MoU signing ceremony attended by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal |
| Strategic Initiatives | Make in India, MAHASAGAR Vision (Mutual & Holistic Advancement for Security Across Regions) |
| International Engagement | Shri Sonowal participated in Nor-Shipping 2025 in Norway |
| India-Norway Cooperation | Roundtable with Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA) on green shipbuilding & investments |
| Significance of PRV | Boosts India's Arctic & Antarctic footprint, climate research, and marine biodiversity monitoring |
| India's Contribution | Second-largest seafarer contributor to NSA's global fleet, 11% share in NSA's order book |
| Ship Recycling Industry | India has 87% HKC-compliant ship recycling yards |