NEW DELHI, Aug 11: The Indian Navy on Tuesday took another step towards strengthening its indigenous shipbuilding capabilities with the launch of the Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) ‘Shruti’ at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata.
The vessel, identified as Yard 3037, was launched in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition. Senior officials from the Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence and GRSE also attended the ceremony.
The NGOPV programme is being executed simultaneously by two Indian shipyards — GRSE in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) reflecting the country’s expanding capacity to design and manufacture advanced naval platforms domestically.
Designed and constructed in India, the new class of patrol vessels will strengthen the Navy’s ability to undertake a wide range of maritime missions. Their roles will include monitoring sea lanes, safeguarding offshore installations, conducting search-and-rescue operations and supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
The vessels will also contribute to anti-piracy operations and other multi-domain maritime tasks, enhancing the Navy’s operational reach in India’s surrounding waters.
According to the Defence Ministry, the name ‘Shruti’ has been drawn from India’s ancient heritage and refers to the four Vedas. The vessel’s crest features the Ursa Major constellation along with a lighthouse in red and white, symbolising guidance and maritime vigilance.
The launch ceremony also showcased the traditions and ethos associated with the Indian Navy, while highlighting the growing role of domestic shipyards in meeting the country’s defence requirements.
The ministry said the induction of such indigenously developed platforms is aligned with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and the Make in India initiative.
The programme is expected to add greater flexibility to the Navy’s fleet while supporting a broad spectrum of peacetime and operational responsibilities, including maritime security, offshore asset protection and emergency response.
The launch of ‘Shruti’ therefore represents another step in India’s efforts to reduce dependence on foreign sources for critical naval platforms and develop a stronger domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem.