Project Seabird:
The Defence Minister will inaugurate two big piers and seven towers with 320 homes for Navy officers and Defence civilians as part of Project Seabird at Naval Base Karwar in Karnataka.
- Project Seabird involves creation of a naval base at Karwar, Karnataka, on the west coast of India.
- In the post-Indo-Pak War of 1971 scenario, India learned that the Indian Navy needs an additional naval base since Mumbai Harbour faced congestion, which led to security issues for its Western Fleet.
- It was initially sanctioned in 1985, and the foundation stone was laid on October 24, 1986, by Rajiv Gandhi.
- This is a massive project with the first sealift facility in the country and a transfer system for docking and undocking ships and submarines.
- Its first phase, which included the construction of a deep-sea harbour, breakwaters dredging, a township, a naval hospital, a dockyard uplift centre and a ship lift, was commissioned in 2005.
- The development of phase 2 of INS Kadamba commenced in 2011.
- This phase is further divided into 2A and 2B. It was planned to expand the facilities to dock additional warships and a new Naval Air Station, among other projects.
- Once completed, it will be the largest naval base in the Eastern Hemisphere.
- It will be able to accommodate around 32 warships, 23 submarines and hangers for several aircraft.
