On July 30, Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), apex acquisition body of the Ministry Of Defence, under the chairmanship of the defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved a proposal for acquisition of eight Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The programme, under 'Buy (lndian-lDDM)' category of the Defence Procurement Procedure – 2016, is expected to cost 800 crore to exchequers.

"These vessels will be indigenously designed and manufactured and would strengthen maritime security by undertaking day/night patrolling and policing of the Maritime Zones of India including interception of vessels and personnel engaged in anti-sabotage anti-terrorist, anti-smuggling operations as well as provide assistance for Search and Rescue medical evacuation, disaster relief operations, assistance during pollution response operations," ministry said in a statement.

Later last year, ICG came out with a Request for Information (RFI) for the eight FPVs. According to the RFI, ICG intends to complete the acquisition within 45 months of signing of the contract. The 'Single-Stage-Two-Bid-System' would require contenders to submit technical and commercial proposals in two separate envelops but at the same time. The bid should remain valid for 18 months.

Armed with medium range weapons, the patrol vessel, designed for operation in tropics, with length of 50-55 and displacement of 300 ton will have draft of 2.5m. ICG wants the vessel to have maximum speed of 27-29 knots and range of 1500 nm at cruising speed of 12-14 knots. ICG wants to operate the ship for two decades with "annual usage of approximately 2500 hrs of propulsion." It will be armed with one 30 mm Gun, one Fire Control System and two 12.7mm guns on bridge wing. It will require a crew of 42 including seven officers.