Atmanirbharta in 3D
The month of November in the ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ can be likened to a 3D blockbuster, conceptualised, produced and directed by the Indian Navy towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The destroyer INS Visakhapatnam standing ready to follow her motto ‘Yasho Labhasva’ (attain glory) in the surface dimension (1D) and the ‘Vigilant Valiant Victorious’ submarine INS Vela eager to secure the undersea dimension (2D) were both commissioned into the Navy within a few days of each other in November. At the same time, the soon to be commissioned INS Vikrant successfully completed a second set of sea trials, in preparation of handling the air dimension (3D). Tall achievements indeed for the Navy and the Nation – spanning the three dimensions – and notably, all proudly ‘Made in India’.
To understand the true import and magnitude of these achievements, each of these shipbuilding projects could be considered similar to magnum opuses produced in Bollywood. Both have big budget, provide employment to a multitude of people, involve numerous stakeholders – big and small - adopt the latest technology, are made for a competitive environment, and need high levels of skill
and creativity in making. Just as Bollywood movies contribute to cultural and economic development of the country, the Indian Navy contributes to nation building and national prosperity through its Aatmanirbharat endeavours, in consonance with its broader role of protecting, preserving and promoting our national interests.
The budget for our shipbuilding projects runs into thousands of crores. The cost of building the four Visakhapatnam class ships, for instance, is estimated to be around Rs 35,800 crore. Being an indigenous endeavour, the bulk of this money is ploughed back into the Indian economy, not merely to the shipyard but also a host of associated ancillary industries. As per a KPMG analysis of November 2020, while the shipyard building the ship adds 35% value, 6065% is added by tier I, II and III industries. In broad terms, this would mean that about Rs 23,270 crore – the cost of making about 50 Bollywood movies - is ploughed back into the industrial ecosystem supporting shipbuilding.
An injection of such a substantial amount of capital investment into the economy also results in an accompanying boost to employment. The KPMG report highlights that the employment multiplier through shipbuilding projects in India is 1.92 in Tier I, 0.76 in Tier II and 1.71 in Tier III companies. Essentially, for every 100 jobs created through these projects, 439 additional jobs are created in supporting industries. These jobs span a large number of sectors, including heavy industries, construction, auto-commercial, MSMES, as well as service sectors – a wide swath of stakeholders. Then, of course, there are the second and third order outcomes of this job creation, in the form of increased inflow of investment into the local economy, development of support infrastructure, etc. Each aspect contributes in varying measure to boosting the national economy and prosperity and exponentially increasing the number of people who are able to pursue financial stability and aspirations. Bollywood movies help create dreams. These jobs assist in providing an enabling support system for the citizen to pursue them.
While movies are made in 3D to enhance realism in reel life, the Navy operates in 3D in real life. November 2021, leading up to Navy Day on 4 December, has provided much cheer and accomplishment across three dimensions – assuring the nation of the Navy’s ability to provide an umbrella of protection for our citizens to follow their dreams, some inspired by Bollywood, some by real life. The Indian Navy remains dedicated to the service of India and our people – every day, everywhere
– in 3D and more.
While movies are made in 3D to enhance realism in reel life, the Navy operates in 3D in real life
(The contents of this article are the personal views of the author and do not represent official position of the Indian Navy or the Government of India)
[The author is a serving Naval Officer, presently posted at Naval Headquarters. He has a keen interest in maritime cooperation initiatives]