New Delhi, August 7
Six years after India and the US signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), an Indian shipyard on Sunday commenced the first-ever maintenance of a US warship at Chennai.
The LEMOA allows either country to pick up fuel, supplies, spares and get repairs done at each other’s bases.
Exchange of logistics like fuel and supplies were being done since 2017, the repair or maintenance of a US Navy warship is a significant event in Indo-US ties. US Navy Ship (USNS) Charles Drew arrived at L&T’s shipyard at Kattupalli, Chennai, for undertaking repairs and allied services. The ship will be in Chennai for 11 days.
“This is the first ever repair of a US Navy ship in India,” a statement by the Ministry of Defence said in Sunday.
The US Navy had awarded a contract to L&T’s shipyard at Kattupalli for undertaking maintenance of the ship.
The event signifies the capabilities of Indian shipyards in the global ship repairing market. Indian shipyards offer wide ranging and cost-effective ship repair and maintenance services, using advanced maritime technology platforms, the MoD said.
