Mangaluru: Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Vikram, the first in class of seven new generation offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) built by Larsen and Toubro, has arrived at its base port in Mangaluru on Sunday.

 Contracted by Ministry of Defence (MoD) in March 2015 under government's initiative of ‘Make in India', the OPV was commissioned by union minister of state for defense Subash Bhamre at Kattupalli near Chennai on 11 April 2018 in the presence of DG Rajendra Singh, Director General, ICG.

The defense ship, after its keel was laid in March 2016, was completed in just 25 months of build period including trials and commissioning. The commissioning of indigenously designed and built ICGS Vikram has rendered a befitting curtain-raiser to ‘Make in India' theme of DEFEXPO, which is being organised in Chennai.

The vessel which is approximately 97m long, 15m wide, has 3.6m draught, 2140 tone displacement and a range of 5,000 NM. It can attain a sustained speed of up to 26 knots. The OPVs are built with Integrated Platform Management System to enable unique control capabilities generally integrated into larger warships like frigates and destroyers.

The ship is also designed to carry one Twin Engine Light Helicopter and stage through of twin-engine heavy helicopter with night flying capabilities. It also has the capabilities to carry pollution response equipment to contain oil spill contamination at sea.

Vikram meaning ‘Valour' with a complement of 14 Officers and 88 men is commanded by Commandant Rajkamal Sinha.

The arrival of ICGS Vikram at Mangalore will be a significant milestone in augmenting the maritime security of Karnataka. The ship will enhance Indian Coast Guard's operational capabilities to discharge various naval tasks on Western Seaboard in general and the Maritime States of Karnataka in particular.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Chandigarh: A resident of a village in Haryana’s Kaithal was arrested for allegedly passing on sensitive information to the Pakistan army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during the recent Indo-Pakistan conflict.

The accused is identified as Devendra, a resident of Mastgarh Cheeka village in Kaithal.

During questioning, it was revealed that he went to Pakistan in November last year through the Kartarpur corridor and was sharing sensitive information with officers of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agency, as reported by NDTV on Saturday.

"Intelligence information was received by the district police of Kaithal. On that basis our special detective staff arrested Devendra, son of Narwal Singh, resident of village Mastgarh Cheeka," news agency quoted DSP Kaithal Veerbhan as saying.

He added that the individual regularly shared details about the ongoing India-Pakistan dispute, as well as information related to Operation Sindoor, with the Pakistani Army and intelligence agency ISI.

The police are now conducting a detailed investigation of the electronic devices seized from him at the cyber police station.