L&T, Exail Join For Minesweepers
Indian engineering giant Larsen & Toubro has partnered with French defence technology firm Exail to provide advanced unmanned mine counter-measure systems for the Indian Navy. The collaboration aims to support India’s long-delayed Mine Counter-Measure Vessels (MCMVs) programme, first proposed in 2005.
The new system will use autonomous and remotely operated technologies to detect, identify, and neutralise naval mines from a safe distance. L&T will act as the prime contractor, while Exail will provide technological expertise for the proposed fleet of 12 minesweeper vessels.
India has faced a capability gap in mine warfare since decommissioning its last specialised minesweeper in 2019. The partnership is expected to strengthen maritime security and modernise the Navy’s underwater defence capabilities amid growing regional security concerns.
