Friday, December 2 2005 16:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In a move to bolster falling force levels of warships, Navy has decided to acquire three more Russian Krivck class missile carrying stealth frigates and is in the process of floating proposals for purchasing more spy planes and anti-submarine helicopters.

Disclosing that 27 warships and submarines were on order, Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash said Government clearance was also in process for inducting 36 more indigenous warships of various tonnage ranging from fast petrol craft to missile carrying destroyers and frigates.

Addressing a news conference on the eve of the 'Navy Day' on Sunday, Prakash also said that Navy had completed the selection of buying a Deep Sea Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) for undertaking rescue of submarines in distress by identifying the vendor.

He said Navy would buy two of these DSRV's and pending their induction in the next three years, it was in the process of formalizing an agreement with the US Navy for its help in case of any of the Indian submarines getting into distress in the high seas.

Elaborating on the purchase of three more Krivck class frigates, the Naval Chief said an agreement to this effect was in the offing with the Russians. Indian Navy already has three such frigates and more were being brought to what Prakash described as to balance declining force levels.