The Ministry of Defence, Government of India, issued a Request for Information to buy one National Hospital Ship for the Indian Navy from registered Indian Shipyards, on 18 May. The National Hospital Ship would be able to provide Primary and Secondary Care to the patients on board, and the first vessel would be delivered within 48 months of the contract’s signing.
The National Hospital Ship will be painted white in accordance with the Geneva Convention, with the Red Cross prominently visible on the ship’s side and top. The National Medical Ship will be required to carry a maximum of 600 people onboard, including 250 patients and 117 hospital personnel.
It will feature a crew of 15 officers and 120 sailors, as well as a medical crew of 22 officers, 14 Military Nursing Service Staffs, and 81 sailors. The National Hospital Ship will be under 15000 tons in displacement and have a minimum service life of 20 years.
