Navy to issue Rs 50,000 crore submarine tender this year

NEW DELHI: The Navy will issue a global tender for procuring six next generation submarines worth over Rs 50,000 crore by the end of this year. 

"The government has cleared Project-75 India which is the next lot of six submarines... At the moment we are going with the Request for Information (RFI) process, I hope within this year we would be able to push off the tender," Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told reporters on the sidelines of a submarine seminar. 

Project-75 India is a follow on of the Scorpene submarine project, six of which are being built by the Mazgaon Dockyards Limited (MDL) under a Rs 20,000 crore deal with French company DCNS. 

With a depleted submarine strength, the Navy is planning to induct over 12 submarines in the next 10-12 years. The plans have also suffered a setback in view of the delays in the construction of the Scorpenes in Mumbai. 

Talking about the capabilities of future submarines, the Navy chief said, "It will be a different boat in the sense that we are revising its Qualitative Requirements. Along with better sensors it will also have better hiding capability, improved detection range and combat management system." 

He said the Navy would go for the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems for the submarines, which would enhance their capability of remaining submerged in water for a longer time period. 

On the weapon systems to be put on the next line of under water vessels, Verma said Navy was planning to use a mix of indigenous torpedoes along with the missiles which are being deployed on the Scorpene submarines. 

To a question on safety of Indian fishermen being targeted by the Sri Lankan Navy, he said, "The issue was highlighted during the visit of the Sri Lankan President also. The joint working group on fisheries is supposed to address these issues and that is the way to resolve it." 

He denied knowledge of any apprehensions expressed by China on India's forthcoming exercises with the navies of the US and Japan. "You have to bear in mind that it is not the first time these exercises are happening. I am not aware of any such apprehension," he said. 

On the annual exercise TROPEX, the Admiral said that besides elements from army and air force, the navy would also include its amphibious elements for the first time in the exercise. 

"TROPEX in terms of involved expenses and platforms is the largest exercise we have. This time we have huge amphibious elements including the participation from army and the air force," he said. 

Indian Navy inducted its first amphibious warship INS Jalashwa from US in 2007.

Underwater test launch of BrahMos missile to be carried out in 2011

Russian-Indian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace has developed submarine-launched modification of BrahMos cruise missile; test launch is scheduled in the current year, said the company's executive director Sivathanu Pillai. 

The company has already developed the submarine-launched version, he said. It is planned to conduct the test launch from drowned platform placed on a special pontoon. The launch is supposed to be performed this year, added the executive director. 

As was previously reported, the Russian-Indian company had developed a modification of BrahMoss upersonic cruise missile designed for submarines. 

Russian-Indian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace was established in India in 1998 for production of supersonic antiship missiles. The company was founded by NPO Mashinostroyenia (Russia) and Defense Research and Development Organisation (India).

India will get frigates on time, all problems are resolvable – an official

Despite some difficulties, frigates built in Kaliningrad for Indian Navy will be delivered to the customer on terms specified in the contract, reported ITAR-TASS citing Alexander Fomin, deputy director of Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) appearing today at the Aero India 2011 international exhibition in Bangalore. 

"The works go on; two ships have been already launched and the third one is being prepared for launching. Of course, there are some minor problems, but we handle them", Fomin said. 

The $1.6 bln shipbuilding contract was tied with India in summer 2006. It is planned to deliver frigates to the customer in 2011-2012. First three Project 1135.6 frigates cost India over $1 bln and were built by Baltiysky Zavod. Ships were delivered in 2003-2004, one year behind the schedule. 

Yantar shipyard won India's tender for other three frigates. The first one was launched in Nov 2009, the second one – in June 2010. Indian president Prateebha Patil gave names to the ships – INS Teg (Saber), INS Tarkash (Quiver), and INS Trikand (Bow) – which were laid down in 2007-2008. 

Frigates of this series are multipurpose warships. They are designed for antisubmarine, antisurface and antiaircraft defenses, and are the first ships to be armed with Russian-Indian supersonic cruise missile system BrahMos.

Indian Navy planning to induct four Landing Platform Docks

In order to add more teeth to its amphibious warfare capabilities, the Indian Navy is planning to induct four Landing Platform Docks (LPD) to join the fleet alongside INS Jalashwa.

"We are looking to add four more LPDs in our fleet to operate alongside INS Jalashwa, the only LPD currently in service," Navy officials told the news agency.

The procurement procedure has already begun with the release of the Request for Information (RFI) by the Defence Ministry, they said.

The four warships would be procured under the Buy and make (Indian) category of the Defence procurement procedure under which the Indian shipyards, both private and public, would be required to form a partnership with foreign shipyards for the contract.

The navy wants the ships to be produced within the country itself and has sought response only from Indian shipyards, having their own infrastructure and capability of building LPD class of ships, they said.

On the procurement of warships, officials said the LPDs provide the Navy strategic reach to operate far away from Indian shores and support amphibious warfare.

The Navy wants the ships to be 200 metres long and to be able to transport Main Battle tanks (MBTs), heavy trucks, Armoured Personnel Vehicles and other heavy machinery.

It should also be able to carry out operations of heavy-lift helicopters of the Navy, the officials said.

The four LPDs will also have a point missile defence system and a close-in weapon system to protect itself from enemy firing and aircraft.

In 2007, India had inducted the INS Jalashwa - a Sanskrit name for Hippopotamus, which is a replenishment and amphibious warfare ship with capacity to embark, transport and land a 1,000-men battalion along with equipment and tanks to support operations on enemy shores.

Being the second largest ship in the Navy inventory after aircraft carrier INS Viraat, Jalashwa is also capable of undertaking maritime surveillance, special operations, search and rescue, medical support as well as humanitarian aid.

Jalashwa was originally commissioned in the US Navy as USS Trenton and had served for 36 years when India bought it for USD 48.4 million in 2007.

India Seeks More American P-8I maritime aircrafts

India has decided to buy another four American P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft, largely in response to growing Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean. Three years ago, India bought eight U.S. P-8s, for about $220 million each. The growing expense of maintaining their Russian Tu-142M reconnaissance aircraft, and the need for a more capable recon aircraft led to that initial order. The first P-8I will arrive in 2014.

The decision to switch to U.S. maritime recon aircraft is rather recent. Four years ago India received another Russian built Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Beginning in 1988, when it received three of these aircraft, India has bought more and now has a fleet of eight in service. The Tu-142, which was introduced in the 1970s, is the maritime patrol version of the Tu-95 heavy bomber. The Tu-95 aircraft entered service over half a century ago, and is expected to remain in service, along with the Tu-142 variant, for another three decades. Over 500 Tu-95s were built, and it is the largest and fastest turboprop aircraft in service. Russia still maintains a force of 60 Tu-95s, but has dozens in storage, which can be restored to service as either a bomber or a Tu-142.

The 188 ton aircraft has flight crew consisting of a pilot, copilot, engineer and radioman, and an unrefueled range of 15,000 kilometers. Max speed is 925 kilometers an hour, while cruising speed is 440 kilometers an hour. Originally designed as a nuclear bomber, the Tu-142 version still can carry up to ten tons of weapons (torpedoes, mines, depth charges, anti-ship missiles, sonobuoys) and a lot more sensors (naval search radar, electronic monitoring gear). There are two 23mm autocannon mounted in the rear of the aircraft. The mission crew of a Tu-142 usually consists of eight personnel, who operate the radars and other electronic equipment. Patrol flights for the Tu-142 can last twelve hours or more, especially when in-flight refueling is used. Maximum altitude is over 14,000 meters (45,000 feet), although the aircraft flies much lower when searching for submarines. India requires aircraft like these for patrolling the vast India ocean waters that surround the subcontinent. India wanted to upgrade the electronics on its Tu-142s, but has been put off by the high price, and low performance, of what the Russians offered.

The P-8A Poseidon is based on the widely used Boeing 737 airliner. India will get a version (P-8I) customized for their needs. Although the Boeing 737 based P-8 is a two engine jet, compared to the four engine turboprop P-3, it is a more capable plane. Cruise speed for the 737 is 910 kilometers an hour. This makes it possible for the P-8 to get to a patrol area faster, which is a major advantage when chasing down subs first spotted by sonar arrays or satellites. The P-8 has a crew of 10-11 pilots and equipment operators, who operate the search radar and various other sensors. The 737 has hard points on the wings for torpedoes or missiles.

The B-737 is a more modern design than the Tu-142, and has been used successfully since the 1960s by commercial aviation. The Boeing 737 first flew in 1965, and over 5,000 have been built. The P-8A will be the first 737 designed with a bomb bay and four wing racks for weapons. The U.S. P-8 costs more, about $275 million each, because of different equipment carried.

Yantar shipyard launches Indian frigate in March

Yantar shipyard (Kaliningrad, Russia) plans to launch third frigate [last in series] for Indian Navy in mid-March, reported yesterday RIA Novosticiting Sergei Mikhailov, the shipyard's press secretary. 

"Technically, the ship is being prepared for launching in mid-March; this is the last of three ships of 'Indian' project 11356, she is called Trikand which means "Bow", said Mikhailov. 

Yantar has been building second series of frigates [in Russian classification – escort ships] for Indian Navy since 2006. First two ships – Teg ("Saber") and Tarkash ("Quiver") – have been already launched. 

The project was developed by Severnoye Design Bureau which subordinates to the United Shipbuilding Corporation. 

Project 11356 frigates are designed for antiship, antisubmarine, and antiaircraft defenses. The ship's length is 125 meters; beam is 15 meters; displacement is 4,000 tons; fuel range is 5,000 miles; crew is 220 men. 

Baltic shipyard Yantar was established on July 8, 1945 on the facilities of German yard F. Schichau. The shipyard was registered as JSC Yantar in 1996; it specializes in construction of small- and medium-size warships and civil vessels, as well as conducting ship repair works. 

Through 65-year history, the yard has built 154 warships and over 500 civil vessels. Currently, major shareholder of JSC Yantar is state-led JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation.

HS-6 Sailors to Observe Centennial of Naval Aviation in San Diego

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Trevor Welsh, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the "Screamin' Indians" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 6 are participating in the Centennial of Naval Aviation (CoNA) celebration at Naval Air Station North Island Feb. 12.

Like the numerous changes and improvements in naval aviation during the past 100 years, the squadron is currently in a transition phase, bidding farewell to the historic HH-60 and SH-60F model helicopters Jan. 27 and anxiously awaiting the arrival of the MH-60S later this year.

No HS-6 aircraft will participate in the day's events.

According to Cmdr. Brent Alfonzo, HS-6's commanding officer, the airframe and command transition period leaves the squadron without an aircraft for the San Diego area CoNA event, but it certainly doesn't mean that HS-6 personnel won't be observing the year long CoNA celebration. 

"The transition date is scheduled for July 8 of this year," said Alfonzo. "The biggest and hardest part has been manning the squadron properly; planning ahead and figuring what personnel with what qualification need to be here and ready on time, so come July we can have people ready to operate and maintain the helicopters."

Alfonzo also said that the transition to the "S" airframe also means a change in the mission as well as the command name from HS-6 to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6.

"The anti-submarine aspect of our mission will be going away," said Alfonzo. "Our main focus now will be search and rescue, personnel recovery, special operations support and anti-surface warfare. This allows us to focus on mission sets that are more closely related."

Alfonzo said that the squadron has been sending all of their pilots, aircrew, and maintainers through a transition schooling syllabus. Personnel from the squadron will also work with HSC-3 to learn the intricacies of the MH-60S aircraft.

The Screamin' Indians of HS-6 have been a part of naval aviation for more than 50 years. While squadron members might be disappointed to not be flying in the San Diego area celebration, Alfonzo said HS-6 is proud to be helping establish the face of naval aviation for the next 100 years. 

Commemorating 100 years of progress and achievement in naval aviation, CoNA is a year-long tribute to the scope of all naval aviation activities, including aircraft, people, ships, innovations and significant milestones.

"One hundred years ago naval aviation was on the heels of the Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk," said Rear Admiral Pat McGrath, who leads the CoNA effort. "Here in San Diego, experiments with 'hydroaeroplanes' set the stage for the flying machine to become an integral part of our Navy."

The highlight of San Diego area CoNA events is the Feb. 12 Open House and Parade of Flight at NASNI featuring more than 75 historic aircraft, ship and aircraft carrier tours, static display aircraft, and a classic car show.

Naval Eurofighter: An Aircraft Carrier Version Under Development

The development of carrier aviation during the 20th century led to a dramatic paradigm shift in military capability. For the first time, navies had the ability to exert their influence far over the horizon – supporting land campaigns and allowing hostile fleets to be engaged from beyond the range of a battleship’s guns. From Pearl Harbor to more recent conflicts in the Falklands and the Middle East, the carrier and its aircraft provide commanders with an unrivaled ability to project military and political influence; several acres of sovereign territory which can be moved close to potential trouble spots at short notice.

Historically, carrier aircraft have been highly specialized and designed specifically for the role. In the majority of cases, there is little or no commonality between the aircraft operated by a nation’s air force, and the different aircraft performing the same role in the Navy. Design decisions taken in order to optimise an aircraft for carrier operations can lead to trade-offs elsewhere – such as additional weight and low-speed handling characteristics that compromise performance in other areas of the envelope.

A classic example today is the F-18 in all its versions, heavy, slow and not capable of facing the most advanced threats emerging around the world.

For a number of years, Eurofighter GmbH and its industrial partners have been studying the feasibility of adapting Eurofighter Typhoon for the naval role. These studies have included the assessment of required design changes, piloted simulations to refine the aircraft’s handling qualities and discussions with key suppliers. The studies indicate that these changes are feasible, and would lead to the development of a world-beating, carrier-based fighter aircraft.

Full Article

Indian Navy issued a tender for amphibious aircrafts

Indian Navy issued a tender for nine amphibious aircrafts to be used in patrols between Andaman and Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep, reportsDefense Aerospace. New aircrafts will also participate in search-and-rescue operations and inter-island transportation. 

According to technical specifications, the aircrafts must have short take-off capability and operational range up to 800 miles (1,480 km). Probably, Canadian company Bombardier and Russian Beriev Design Bureau would receive invitation to the tender. 

In March 2010 the tender for six hydroplanes was declared by Indian Air Force. These aircrafts will be also used for air reconnaissance, search-and-rescue operations, and connection between islands and ships. Requirements for these aircrafts are the same as those of Indian Navy. This tender is also attended byBombardier and Beriev Design Bureau. 

As was previously reported by the Central Navy Portal, Indian Navy investigated the possibility to acquire 9 amphibious aircrafts for operations near Andaman, Nicobar, and Laccadive islands. Current India's rearmament program implies over $200 bln investment for the nearest 11-12 years. At present, India holds numerous international tenders for attack helicopters, fighters, submarines, and UAVs.

Indian officer who had relations with Russian woman to be fired

Indian defense minister Arakkaparambil Kurian Antony promised to dismiss a naval officer who had adulterous relationship with a Russian woman in Severodvinsk, writes Hindu. 

"He'll be definitely fired. We won't serve any more", said the minister on Sunday answering the question about further career of the officer. 

Commodore Singkh had been heading the expert group observing refit of Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkovunder India's order in Severodvinsk. Early in 2010 Indian media sources published photos of the married commodore in bed with unknown Russian woman. 

Indian Navy set a special board to identify relationships of Mr. Singkh with "other Russian citizens" to determine whether those relations could have affected the cost of supplementary contract on the carrier's modernization. 

Retrofit contract of aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov (later renamed into INS Vikramaditya) for Indian Navy was tied with Russia in 2004. It became the biggest-ever defense export contract between the two countries. Initially, the modernization was evaluated as $616 mln, and it was planned to deliver the ship in 2008. However, the delivery date was postponed to 2012 due to increase of scope of works; India was asked to make additional payment. New price (which has not been promulgated so far) was fixed in Dec 2009 after two years of negotiations. As for Indian media sources, the new contract cost $2.3 bln.

Indian Navy to salvage sunken frigate

The Indian Navy says it will salvage the Nilgiri class frigate INS Vindhyagiri off the bottom of Mumbai harbour after the vessel sunk there last Monday following a collision with a cargo vessel.

On Sunday afternoon last week a convoy of navy ships was coming into Mumbai harbour after a ‘day at sea’ for families of sailors and officers. INS Vindhyagiri was in the fifth position coming towards the naval dockyard, which is on the far side of the port. Because of the naval dockyard’s location, ships often have to cross each other’s paths.

As the convoy was entering the port, the Cyprus flagged loaded container ship MV Nordlake was leaving the dock for the open sea. The lead ship in the naval convoy established communications with Nordlake and it was decided that both would go to the right of each other.

The ships behind the lead ship had to follow its course. However, INS Godavari had fallen behind and established its own communications with Nordlake, asking that both ships pass to the left of each other.

“This created a major confusion as rest of the convoy was passing right-to-right,” said an officer investigating the case.

To give space to INS Godavari to pass to its left, Nordlake turned right. Meanwhile, another inbound merchant ship, the Seychelles flagged MV Sea Eagle, which was moving towards the harbour and was ahead of Vindhyagiri, had come parallel to Vindhyagiri.

Then, both Nordlake and Sea Eagle were facing each other and thus established quick communication. They finally decided to pass to the right of each other.

As soon as Nordlake crossed Sea Eagle (which it missed by 20 metres) it found INS Vindhyagiri right ahead of it.

By now, it was too late to manoeuvre the ship and Nordlake crashed on the right side of Vindhyagiri at a right angle, leading to a fire in the ship’s boiler room.

“Another reason for the crash was that Nordlake was at high speed since it was going to open sea and Vindhyagiri was at slow speed as it was moving to port,” said an officer from Yellow Gate Police Station.

The crash cracked the Vindhyagiri’s hull, ruptured a fuel tank and ignited a massive fire. As the fire could not be controlled by the naval dockyard, help was sought from the Mumbai fire brigade. However, the firefighting efforts resulted in flooding aboard the frigate, which partially capsized on Monday and landed on the seabed. However, the water was too shallow for her to sink completely. 

All 400 people on board the frigate were safely evacuated.

Vice-Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, commander-in-chief, Western Naval Command, told the Times of India that the Navy would launch an inquiry and assess the damages. He said the navy would do its best to retrieve the ship and claim damages. First, fuel and water will be pumped out to make the ship lighter, then further operations will be carried out. The ship was carrying 300 tons of fuel, and oil booms were erected in case of an oil spill.

INS Vindhagiri was commissioned in 1981 and is a mostly indigenously built frigate. It was scheduled to be decommissioned in a year or two. On Saturday the Navy said the vessel will not be decommissioned immediately after being salvaged. A senior navy officer said the sunken vessel would be repaired and refitted so it can be brought back into service, according to the Asian Age. He added that once the refitting was done, the vessel would be able to serve in the Indian Navy for another five years.

The navy has laid a case of negligent navigation against the Nordlake. Ribarczyk P, managing director of German company Reederei 'Nord' Klaus E Oldendorff, which owns the Nordlake, told the Times of India, “We are not aware about a case being registered. However, we are going to conduct our own investigations. Our representative will be arriving in India as soon as he gets a visa. In the meantime, we have appointed a local representative to guide us in our investigations."

Although much of the blame has been placed on poor communications, the port’s Traffic Management System has also been criticised, the Times of India reports. A former port official said, “The Vessel Traffic Management System, which monitors the movement of all ships from port, should have jumped in and sorted out the confusion. A lot of streamlining of traffic is needed on the Mumbai coast.”

This Vindhagiri collision is the most recent incident in a series of naval accidents over the last several years. In January 2008 the submarine INS Sindhughosh bumped the MV Leeds Castle while surfacing north of Mumbai, causing damage to the conning tower. In April 2006 the Veer class corvette INS Prahar hit the container ship MV Rajiv Gandhi off the western coast near Goa, and sank. And in December 2005 the Talwar class frigate INS Trishul collided with the Ambuja Lakshmi at the Mumbai port.

The shipping ministry is planning to revamp its communication system soon. In the last two years, there have been three major ship collisions. In August last year the merchant vessels MSV Chitra and MV Khalijia 3 collided outside Mumbai port. Also last year the coast guard ship Vivek sunk in the port after it was hit by Panamanian vessel Global Purity in March. On August 31, two ships collided at Indira Docks.

Navy to flex muscles in western front wargames

NEW DELHI: India has amassed its western and eastern naval fleets on the western seaboard for intensive combat manoeuvres in the entire Arabian Sea, in what will be one of the largest maritime exercises in recent times. 

The warships, including aircraft carrier INS Viraat, Delhi-class destroyers, Kilo-class submarines and Talwar-class frigates, among others, are backed by Sea-Harrier jump-jets, IL-38 and Dornier-228 maritime reconnaissance aircraft and Kamov-28 and Seaking anti-submarine warfare helicopters. 

Many "assets" from IAF, Army and Coast Guard, including Jagaur maritime strike jets and Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, amphibious combat units and smaller warships are also being deployed for 'Tropex' or the theatre-level readiness and operational exercise. The largescale exercise's "actual tactical phase" will kick off on February 14. "Over 50 types of warships and scores of aircraft are taking part in it to sharpen combat skills as well as validate doctrines and concepts," said a source. 

That's not all. After the Tropex wargames in Arabian Sea, in keeping with its endeavour to build "interoperability" with foreign forces and further India's geo-strategic objectives, Navy will dispatch four frontline warships to the Far East in March-April for a series of exercises. 

The overseas deployment will see Indian warships undertake the 'Simbex' combat exercise with Singaporean Navy, 'Malabar' with US Navy south of Japan and 'Indra' with Russian Navy off Vladivostok. 

"Constructive engagement is our principle weapon during peacetime. The idea is to enhance security and stability in the entire Indian Ocean Region by engaging with regional and extra-regional maritime powers," a senior officer said. 

As for Tropex, the warships will practice operational concepts like "maritime manoeuvre from the sea", designed to ensure Navy is capable of favourably influencing the outcome of the land-air battle in the short, swift and high-tempo conflicts of the future. 

Then, the armed forces have also stepped up amphibious warfare drills to take the battle to enemy shores.

Indian Navy issued a tender for landing boats

Indian Navy issued an international tender for ten landing boats to be used for carrying of troops and vehicles from ships to the land, reports PTI. So far, it is uncertain what companies will compete in the tender. According to Indian military, new boats will be also used as troop transport ferries between Andaman Islands, Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. 

Troop-carrying capacity of the boats should be at least 55 tons. Such boat must fit in Magar class or Shardulclass landing ships as well as INS Jalashwa amphibious transport dock. A boat must be capable to accommodate either 150 marines and one T-72 (T-90) main battle tank, or two infantry fighting vehicles, or two 2.5-ton trucks, or four light armored vehicles. 

New boats must not be more than 23-meter long, have a full-load speed up to 15 knots, and a out-of-dock service time at least one month (200 miles at full load). Boats should be powered with two diesel engines with water-jet propeller. Design of the boats must provide day-and-night operations. 

According to specifications, each boat should be armed with two machineguns; mount points of machineguns must be protected with armor plates. New boats will serve in Indian Navy for 20 years.

Damaged Indian frigate sank

Being damaged during exit of Mumbai port, an Indian frigate sank after an onboard fire, reports ITAR-TASS referring to Egyptian news agencies. So far, none official representatives have commented the accident. 

INS Vindhyagiri collided with commercial vessel North Lake while leaving Mumbai port on Sunday. As a result, the frigate's bow was damaged; the ship was towed to a naval base. This morning a fire occurred on board the warship. All crewmembers were evacuated. Firefighters failed to bring the fire under control. 

The ship had been in service since 1981.

Indian navy probes warship collision

Indian defence officials began a probe Monday into a collision between a warship and a merchant vessel near Mumbai, in the latest incident in the busy waters outside the city, an officer said.

The INS Vindhyagiri suffered damage and a fire broke out near the engine room as she returned to the city's naval dockyard on Sunday with the families of navy personnel on board.

"The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. That will only happen subsequent to the naval board of inquiry that will be set up," defence ministry spokesman Captain M. Nambiar told AFP.

Firefighters and military personnel battled thick smoke to bring the fire on the Leander class frigate under control as she was towed back to the dockyard from the busy shipping channel off India's financial capital.

Nambiar said the ship, which was commissioned in 1981, was listing in the dock's shallow waters because of damage to her hull but would right herself once pumping began.

Defence officials in New Delhi said that ammunition on board was cleared and that "all efforts" were made to contain the fire and flooding.

"Necessary measures have also been taken to prevent any spillage of oil from the ship," a statement said.

About 150 people were on board the vessel and had been on a short excursion when the collision happened with the Cyprus-flagged MV Nordlake, which was leaving Mumbai's Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).

No one was injured, said Nambiar.

Six months ago, two cargo vessels collided off Mumbai, sending containers spilling into the sea, grounding one of the ships and causing it to list badly.

Shipping traffic into and out of JNPT and the Mumbai Port Trust -- which together handle about 40 percent of India's maritime cargo -- was severely disrupted after the waterway was closed due to the hazard.