China has been invited to participate in a major US-led naval exercise, Chinese officials said Thursday, despite tensions between Beijing and Washington over activity in the disputed South China Sea.

The Chinese military took part in the RIMPAC drill, billed as the world&#39;s largest international naval exercise, for the first time in 2014 and again in 2016.

&quot;We have received the American invitation,&quot; Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters. A Chinese delegation has been sent to the US to discuss logistics, he added.

RIMPAC, which stands for Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is held off Hawaii every other year in June and July.

The invitation comes as tensions remain high between the two world powers over Beijing&#39;s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the waterway -- believed to hold vast oil and gas deposits and through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually -- and has built up islands and military installations in the sea.

Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea.

Last weekend Beijing said it had dispatched a warship to drive away a US missile destroyer which had &quot;violated&quot; its sovereignty by sailing close to a shoal in the sea.

American military officials also said Thursday that a US aircraft carrier will port in Vietnam in March, a first for the allies and former foes.

&quot;Freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to (Vietnam) economically, of course, and their security efforts,&quot; US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters en route to Vietnam from Indonesia on Wednesday.

The Chinese military took part in the RIMPAC drill, billed as the world's largest international naval exercise, for the first time in 2014 and again in 2016

China has been invited to participate in a major US-led naval exercise, Chinese officials said Thursday, despite tensions between Beijing and Washington over activity in the disputed South China Sea. The Chinese military took part in the RIMPAC drill, billed as the world's largest international naval exercise, for the first time in 2014 and again in 2016. "We have received the American invitation," Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters. A Chinese delegation has been sent to the US to discuss logistics, he added. RIMPAC, which stands for Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is held off Hawaii every other year in June and July. The invitation comes as tensions remain high between the two world powers over Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea. China claims most of the waterway -- believed to hold vast oil and gas deposits and through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually -- and has built up islands and military installations in the sea. Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea. Last weekend Beijing said it had dispatched a warship to drive away a US missile destroyer which had "violated" its sovereignty by sailing close to a shoal in the sea. American military officials also said Thursday that a US aircraft carrier will port in Vietnam in March, a first for the allies and former foes. "Freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to (Vietnam) economically, of course, and their security efforts," US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters en route to Vietnam from Indonesia on Wednesday.

Despite tensions, US invites China to participate in world's largest international naval exercise

Families of the 44 crew members of a missing Argentine submarine gave up hope and went home on Friday after days of waiting at the Mar del Plata naval base in sorrow.&nbsp;

Families of the crew members were sad and angered by evidence that the vessel may have exploded.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/explosion-dashes-last-hopes-for-missing-argentina-submarine-24990">An explosion had apparently occurred</a> near the last known position of an Argentine submarine, the Navy confirmed on Thursday, dashing last hopes of finding the vessel and its 44 crew members.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-sign-of-submarine-5-days-later-44-people-missing-24710">The submarine had been sailing</a> from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was declared missing last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board, reports said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-assures-aid-to-argentina-over-missing-submarine-24885">Trump assures aid to Argentina over missing submarine</a>

On Friday evening, navy spokesman Enrique Balbi had said that improving weather would allow for boats with underwater detection capabilities to conduct a search.&nbsp;

President Mauricio Macri said the search would continue and that he expected the submarine to be located in the days ahead. He called for a &quot;serious and deep&quot; investigation into the incident once the search operation was complete. 
&nbsp;

The submarine had been sailing from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was declared missing last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board

Families of the 44 crew members of a missing Argentine submarine gave up hope and went home on Friday after days of waiting at the Mar del Plata naval base in sorrow. Families of the crew members were sad and angered by evidence that the vessel may have exploded. An explosion had apparently occurred near the last known position of an Argentine submarine, the Navy confirmed on Thursday, dashing last hopes of finding the vessel and its 44 crew members. The submarine had been sailing from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was declared missing last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board, reports said. Also read: Trump assures aid to Argentina over missing submarine On Friday evening, navy spokesman Enrique Balbi had said that improving weather would allow for boats with underwater detection capabilities to conduct a search. President Mauricio Macri said the search would continue and that he expected the submarine to be located in the days ahead. He called for a "serious and deep" investigation into the incident once the search operation was complete.

Hope fades after 9 days of searching for Argentine submarine

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) said it has emerged as the lowest bidder for a project of the Indian Navy and the Rs 5,400 crore contract for eight vessels is likely to be concluded after due process.

&ldquo;CSL has received communication from the Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) that the Company has emerged as the L1 bidder for 16 X ASW SWC Project for the Indian Navy,&rdquo; the company said in a filing to BSE.

The contract for eight vessels at a cost of about Rs 5,400 crore is expected to be concluded with the Ministry of Defence after due process, it said. The company said the order was bagged against a competitive tender issued by the ministry in which both private and public sector yards had participated.

CSL is the only shipyard in India that can build up to 1,10,000 DWT (deadweight tonnes) with a track record of making tankers, bulk carriers, port crafts and passenger vessels, among others.

The company is into constructing platform supply vessels for exports and aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy.

According to CSL, it is the only shipyard in the country which can fix vessels up to 1,25,000 DWT, and repair an air defence ship.

India&rsquo;s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, is in its final stage of construction at CSL.

CSL completed its landmark IPO in August, attracting more than Rs 1.11 lakh crore as against the offer size of Rs 1,442 crore. The company, which is under the shipping ministry, was listed on BSE and NSE on August 11 this year. The CSL stock gained nearly 11 per cent to close at 572.40 on BSE.

The contract for eight vessels at a cost of about Rs 5,400 crore is expected to be concluded with the Ministry of Defence after due process

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) said it has emerged as the lowest bidder for a project of the Indian Navy and the Rs 5,400 crore contract for eight vessels is likely to be concluded after due process. “CSL has received communication from the Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) that the Company has emerged as the L1 bidder for 16 X ASW SWC Project for the Indian Navy,” the company said in a filing to BSE. The contract for eight vessels at a cost of about Rs 5,400 crore is expected to be concluded with the Ministry of Defence after due process, it said. The company said the order was bagged against a competitive tender issued by the ministry in which both private and public sector yards had participated. CSL is the only shipyard in India that can build up to 1,10,000 DWT (deadweight tonnes) with a track record of making tankers, bulk carriers, port crafts and passenger vessels, among others. The company is into constructing platform supply vessels for exports and aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy. According to CSL, it is the only shipyard in the country which can fix vessels up to 1,25,000 DWT, and repair an air defence ship. India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, is in its final stage of construction at CSL. CSL completed its landmark IPO in August, attracting more than Rs 1.11 lakh crore as against the offer size of Rs 1,442 crore. The company, which is under the shipping ministry, was listed on BSE and NSE on August 11 this year. The CSL stock gained nearly 11 per cent to close at 572.40 on BSE.

Cochin Shipyard lowest bidder for Navy contract

U.S&nbsp;Navy&nbsp;and Marine Corps divers have recovered and identified the second body in the search for ten sailors missing after a collision between a guided-missile destroyer and merchant&nbsp;vessel near Singapore earlier this week, the US&nbsp;Navy&nbsp;said on Friday.

The&nbsp;USS John S. McCain collided with the merchant tanker in waters near Singapore and Malaysia on Monday, which led to an international search-and-rescue operation for the missing sailors. The&nbsp;Navy&nbsp;recovered the first body from inside the hull of the warship earlier this week.

&quot;More divers and equipment arrived overnight to continue search and recovery operations for eight missing sailors inside flooded compartments of the ship,&quot; the US&nbsp;Seventh Fleet said in a statement on its website.

On Thursday, the US&nbsp;Navy&nbsp;suspended the wider search and rescue operation to focus&nbsp;recovery efforts on the damaged hull of the ship, which is moored at Singapore&#39;s Changi Naval Base.

The&nbsp;Navy&nbsp;has already released the names of all the sailors who were missing.

The USS John S. McCain collided with the merchant tanker in waters near Singapore and Malaysia on Monday

U.S Navy and Marine Corps divers have recovered and identified the second body in the search for ten sailors missing after a collision between a guided-missile destroyer and merchant vessel near Singapore earlier this week, the US Navy said on Friday. The USS John S. McCain collided with the merchant tanker in waters near Singapore and Malaysia on Monday, which led to an international search-and-rescue operation for the missing sailors. The Navy recovered the first body from inside the hull of the warship earlier this week. "More divers and equipment arrived overnight to continue search and recovery operations for eight missing sailors inside flooded compartments of the ship," the US Seventh Fleet said in a statement on its website. On Thursday, the US Navy suspended the wider search and rescue operation to focus recovery efforts on the damaged hull of the ship, which is moored at Singapore's Changi Naval Base. The Navy has already released the names of all the sailors who were missing.

Second body found after 10 sailors go missing after US?Navy collision

India unveiled its latest instalment of modern warship named &#39;Mormugao&#39; in Mumbai on Saturday. 
 
The 60 per cent indigenised-warship, which is equipped with range of hi-tech missiles, is the second ship of Project 15B. Visakhapatnam was the first such destroyer to be launched by India in April 2015. 
 
Mormugao is a destroyer designed to launch precision-guided missiles. 
 
Project 15B is a class of stealth guided missile destroyers which feature better stealth characterisitics and accommodate Barak 8 surface-to-air missile. The Barak 8 enables India to defend itself from any type of airborne threat such as aircraft, anti-ship missiles and helicopters. 
 
The warship also incorporates anti-submarine rocket launchers and surface-to-surface missiles. 
 
The latest warship, which weighs 7,300 tonne and is 163.2 metres long, has been named after Mormugao port in Goa, the home state of Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar. 
 
Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said the new warship could be compared with the best in the world. 
 
Two other Project 15B destroyers will get launched any time between 2022 and 2024. Paradip is expected to be launched in 2022 and Porbandar is expected to be rolled out two years after that. 
 
In 2011, the government had sanctioned the four ships at a cost of Rs 29,700 crores (roughly $44 billion).&nbsp; 
 
Vice Admiral G S Pabby, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, said the navy is aiming to add 212 ships in its fleet by 2027. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
 
&nbsp;

Part of Project 15B, the destroyer is equipped with a range of hi-tech missiles

India unveiled its latest instalment of modern warship named 'Mormugao' in Mumbai on Saturday. The 60 per cent indigenised-warship, which is equipped with range of hi-tech missiles, is the second ship of Project 15B. Visakhapatnam was the first such destroyer to be launched by India in April 2015. Mormugao is a destroyer designed to launch precision-guided missiles. Project 15B is a class of stealth guided missile destroyers which feature better stealth characterisitics and accommodate Barak 8 surface-to-air missile. The Barak 8 enables India to defend itself from any type of airborne threat such as aircraft, anti-ship missiles and helicopters. The warship also incorporates anti-submarine rocket launchers and surface-to-surface missiles. The latest warship, which weighs 7,300 tonne and is 163.2 metres long, has been named after Mormugao port in Goa, the home state of Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar. Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said the new warship could be compared with the best in the world. Two other Project 15B destroyers will get launched any time between 2022 and 2024. Paradip is expected to be launched in 2022 and Porbandar is expected to be rolled out two years after that. In 2011, the government had sanctioned the four ships at a cost of Rs 29,700 crores (roughly $44 billion). Vice Admiral G S Pabby, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, said the navy is aiming to add 212 ships in its fleet by 2027. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India launches 'world-class' stealth guided missile destroyer Mormugao

India has signed a billion-dollar deal with Boeing to buy four maritime surveillance planes, defence and aviation sources said Wednesday, as it looks to counter China in the Indian Ocean. 
 
The deal for four P-8I aircraft follows India&#39;s earlier purchase of eight of the planes from the American aerospace giant in 2009. 
 
&quot;The deal has been signed. The delivery dates are being worked out,&quot; a defence ministry source told AFP, adding that the deal was worth more than a billion dollars. 
 
India has already deployed its original eight long-range P-8I aircraft to track submarine movements in the Indian Ocean. 
 
The navy is looking to beef up its fleet to strengthen its capabilities against submarines and surface ships. 
 
&quot;India has a vast maritime border and these planes are meant for long-range surveillance,&quot; a Boeing official told AFP, adding that a clause in the earlier agreement provided for New Delhi to purchase four more planes. 
 
&quot;The navy will likely deploy them in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal to counter Chinese influence in the seas,&quot; the official said. 
 
India, the world&#39;s number one defence importer, is in the midst of a multi-billion dollar upgrade of its Soviet-era military hardware. 
 
The country has signed several big-ticket defence deals since Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party stormed to power in 2014. 
 
Other deals have been mired in bureaucratic wrangles, however, notably the agreement to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France&#39;s Dassault Aviation which has been pending since 2012. 
 
Modi&#39;s government has raised the limit on foreign investment in the defence sector and encouraged tie-ups between foreign and local companies. 
 
Modi has also called for the manufacturing of defence equipment locally and cut down reliance on expensive imports. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The P-8I Poseidons will help India bolster its navy as New Delhi tries to check China's presence in the Indian Ocean

India has signed a billion-dollar deal with Boeing to buy four maritime surveillance planes, defence and aviation sources said Wednesday, as it looks to counter China in the Indian Ocean. The deal for four P-8I aircraft follows India's earlier purchase of eight of the planes from the American aerospace giant in 2009. "The deal has been signed. The delivery dates are being worked out," a defence ministry source told AFP, adding that the deal was worth more than a billion dollars. India has already deployed its original eight long-range P-8I aircraft to track submarine movements in the Indian Ocean. The navy is looking to beef up its fleet to strengthen its capabilities against submarines and surface ships. "India has a vast maritime border and these planes are meant for long-range surveillance," a Boeing official told AFP, adding that a clause in the earlier agreement provided for New Delhi to purchase four more planes. "The navy will likely deploy them in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal to counter Chinese influence in the seas," the official said. India, the world's number one defence importer, is in the midst of a multi-billion dollar upgrade of its Soviet-era military hardware. The country has signed several big-ticket defence deals since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party stormed to power in 2014. Other deals have been mired in bureaucratic wrangles, however, notably the agreement to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation which has been pending since 2012. Modi's government has raised the limit on foreign investment in the defence sector and encouraged tie-ups between foreign and local companies. Modi has also called for the manufacturing of defence equipment locally and cut down reliance on expensive imports. (AFP)

India orders 4 more maritime spy planes from Boeing worth $1 billion

navy

Navy, News on Navy, stories on Navy, articles on Navy, Navy stories at Wion, Navy news, Navy latest news