Mumbai, June 7
Maintaining that maritime security was government’s top priority, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday stressed the need for hastening delivery of ships to step up surveillance and secure the vast coastline.

“I am aware of the challenges faced by the ship building industry in India. The achievement of quality standards despite ongoing modernisation programme of the (Cochin) shipyard is indeed commendable. I expect more focus on shortening the delivery period by the shipyards in future,” he said after commissioning two indigenously-built fast-patrol vessels ICGS Achook and ICGS Agrim of the Indian Coast Guard.