The USNS Salvor, a rescue and salvage ship, has arrived at the Kattupalli ship building yard in India for repairs. This is made possible through the Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) between India and the US. Larsen and Toubro (L&T), a leading private defense company in India, will be responsible for repairing US vessels under this five-year agreement.
On July 9, the USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52) from the Military Sealift Command reached the L&T Kattupalli shipyard for repairs during its voyage. This marks the third visit of a US Navy ship to the L&T shipyard for repairs, following the USNS Charles Drew and USNS Matthew Perry.
A welcoming ceremony was held at the shipyard on Monday to greet the USNS Salvor, making it the first ship to arrive after the signing of the MSRA. The event was attended by Judith Ravin, the US Consul General in Chennai, Captain Michael L Farmer from the US Embassy New Delhi’s Office of Defense Cooperation, senior US Embassy officials, and L&T leadership.
Ravin expressed that the Master Shipyard Repair Agreement is a significant milestone in the growing partnership between the US and India. She highlighted that the agreement is a direct result of the 2022 US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue and demonstrates the US commitment to utilizing repair facilities at the L&T shipyard in Kattupalli on a regular basis. She further emphasized that this agreement will strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations and contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
