NEW DELHI: In a significant move India and the United Kingdom have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) as a green signal to initiate discussions on Electric Propulsion Systems for the Indian Navy. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday said, “A SoI on Cooperation on Design & Development of Electric Propulsion Systems for the Indian Navy was signed between Ministries of Defence of India and UK in Portsmouth on November 28, 2024.” The SoI would serve as a broader framework intended for cooperation in the co-design, co-creation and co-production of Electric Propulsion capability for future Naval Ships. The Landing Platform Docks, planned to be built at an Indian Shipyard, are envisaged to have a Full Electric Propulsion System. Indian Navy’s assets largely use Gas Turbine (GT) and Diesel engines with few using the steam engines. “Once the indigenous production of such engines begins it will begin to make us self-reliant in the segment. Also, the new technology will have its advantages pertaining to the power generation, utility with compact size.” The SoI was signed and exchanged between Joint Secretary (Naval Systems), Rajeev Prakash and Director, Ships Operations & Capability Integration, UK MoD Rear Admiral Steve McCarthy. The signing was part of the third Joint Working Group Meeting of the Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership, symbolising the commitment to promote indigenous development of niche technologies. The production of engines has been the sore point in India’s Military Industrial production story. Talks have been going on to produce jet engines jointly with the foreign manufacturer. In another important move towards the production of the helicopter engines in India, in July 2022 Indian DPSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and France’s Safran Helicopter Engines inked an agreement for a new joint venture to develop helicopter engines.
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