Dailymirror.news,30th December, 2024: The keel laying ceremony for the third Cadet Training Ship, Yard 18005, took place on December 30, 2024, at M/s L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli. The event was led by RAdm Ravi Kumar Dhingra, Flag Officer of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Area, and was attended by RAdm G K Harish (Retd), Head of Shipbuilding Business at L&T, along with other senior officials from the Indian Navy and M/s L&T.

The contract for the indigenous design and construction of three Cadet Training Ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and M/s L&T on March 7, 2023. These ships will serve as training vessels for officer cadets after their basic training on land, and the training facilities will also be available for cadets from friendly foreign nations.

This marks another significant achievement in the Indian Navy’s efforts towards indigenous shipbuilding, aligning with the Government of India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the ‘Make in India’ initiatives. The Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) 2012-27 outlines the need for three Cadet Training Ships to strengthen the Indian Navy’s capabilities.