India Plans To Have Its First Polar Research Vessel In Next 5 Years, Estimated Cost Is Rs 2,600 Cr, Says Kiren Rijiju: Report

India's first polar research vessel: The polar research vessel will be used by the Indian scientists living in research stations in Antartica to conduct research and for logistics.

Apart from performing research and logistics in the polar region, a polar research vessel can serve as a research platform for scientists to conduct research in the ocean realm, including the Southern Ocean. ( Image Source :Getty )

India is planning to have its first Polar Research Vessel in the next five years, Union Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju has said, news agency PTI reports. The polar research vessel will be used by the Indian scientists living in research stations in Antartica to conduct research and for logistics. Rijiju said at the Rajya Sabha that a proposal for the polar research vessel is expected to be sent for approval from the Cabinet during the current financial year, a PTI report said. 

In 2014, the Cabinet had approved Rs 1,051 crore to acquire the polar research vessel, Rijiju said. However, the company which had received the order to build the ship raised certain conditions that were not part of the tender process for the vessel, and hence, the project was later abandoned. 

Rijiju said that after the initiation of another effort, the proposal is ready to be moved by the Expenditure Finance Committee.

Rijiju said that it is estimated that the cost of the vessel will be Rs 2,600 crore. 

He also said he is hopeful that in this financial year, the estimate will be proposed and moved into the Cabinet, and in the next five years, the ship should be ready. 

The government is in discussion with other countries that have expertise in building polar research vessels, the Earth Sciences minister said. 

Rijiju said that the government would like to manufacture the ship in the country itself, and that the country needs ice breaker ships to have continuous access to the research stations which are needed during different seasons. This will help scientists have a better understanding of climate change and other research matters. 

Apart from performing research and logistics in the polar region, a polar research vessel can serve as a research platform for scientists to conduct research in the ocean realm, including the Southern Ocean.

History Of The Indian Antarctic Program

Since 1981, the Indian Antarctic Program has completed 40 scientific expeditions. Three permanent research base stations have been established in Antarctica, namely, the Dakshin Gangotri, Maitri, and Bharati, built in 1983, 1988, and 2012 respectively.

The entire Indian Antarctic Program is managed by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, which is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.