French firm eyes Indian market for Gowind

With India seeking to increase its fleet of ships for maritime security, French naval defence major DCNS made moves to expand its presence in the country to take the relationship beyond building the Scorpene submarines for the Navy.

The DCNS, which christened its self-funded Gowind Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘L'Adroit' at a ceremony in this Western French town shipyard on Friday, hoped the vessel would get a look-in by the Indian Coast Guard as would its Mistral class Landing Helicopter Dock by the Navy.

The French Navy will induct the Gowind OPV towards the end of the year, initially for surveillance mission closer to its coast before enlarging its role, its Navy Chief Admiral Pierre-Francois Forissier told a group of visiting international correspondents.

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