Siemens boosts modernization plans of the Indian Navy with Medium Voltage Lab

Admiral Sunil Lanba, AVSM, VSM, ADC, the Chief of the Naval Staff, inaugurated the Medium Voltage (MV) Lab at INS Valsura on January 24, 2018. The event was witnessed by dignitaries from the Indian Navy and Industry of whom V Adm AR Karve, AVSM, FOC-in-C (South) and Bhaskar Mandal, Executive Vice President and Head, Process Industries & Drives, Siemens India, deserve special mention.

The project has been executed by Siemens Limited on a turnkey basis. The inauguration of the MV Lab marks a new milestone in the modernization plans of the Indian Navy by embracing state-of-the-art technology for ship propulsion.

“We are very proud to be part of this prestigious project for the Indian Navy. Siemens has played a pivotal role in the transformation process of the Indian Navy from diesel-mechanical turbines to an efficient electric propulsion, which will further build stealth and endurance to the fighting vessels as well as reducing its carbon footprint,” said Bhaskar Mandal, Head of Process Industries & Drives Division, Siemens India.​

The facility will be used for training personnel on the nuances of medium voltage power generation, protection and distribution. This high-technology lab has been set up in the campus of INS Valsura, the Indian Navy’s oldest training establishment, where Officers and Sailors of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign navies are training in the field of electrical, electronics and weapon systems.

The construction phase of this mega project commenced in early February 2017 and has been completed in a record time of 11 months. The lab as it stands today is a one-of-its-kind training facility in the subcontinent and is one of only two such facilities worldwide. The setup comprises equipment manufactured at varied locations across India and is in line with the Government’s Make in India initiative.