India signed a deal with a Sri Lankan firm worth over 300 crore rupees to procure 80 fast-interception craft (FIC). These FICs will equip Navy's Sagar Prahari Bal, SPB, which is being raised after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. The boats are to be delivered in the next three years.
FICs are small boats, with a crew of five to seven sailors at top speeds of 40 to 50 knots, and are equipped with light machine guns. These 80 FICs will be in addition to the 15 similar boats being acquired from French shipyard Chantier Naval Couach, three of which have already been inducted at Mumbai.
After 26/11, several steps have been taken to boost coordination in intelligence-sharing and operational matters, with fully-networked joint operation centres being set up in different locations. With 1,000 well-armed personnel, the SPB will be tasked with the protection of naval and other assets, bases and harbours on both west and east coasts.
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