The name Sanghmitra means friend of the community. It was also the name of the eldest daughter of Emperor Ashoka, who is known to have travelled to Sri Lanka in the 3rd Century BC to spread the teachings of Lord Buddha.

The others present at the occasion were senior officials from GRSE and the Indian Navy.
GRSE has significant experience in the construction of warships and patrol vessels for maritime operations. The shipyard also built the OPV MCGS Barracuda, the first warship exported by India to Mauritius in 2014. GRSE bagged the Defence Minister’s Award of Excellence for in-house Design Effort for that warship. The launch of this ship is on the heels of a successful year for GRSE, having delivered eight ships in a single year, including simultaneous delivery of three warships of different classes – the P17A stealth frigate, a Survey Vessel large and an ASW Shallow water craft – on a single day, 30 Mar 26.

The NGOPVs will be much larger warships than the OPVs built earlier, and have greater endurance and firepower. These platforms will be about 113 metres long and 14.6 metres wide, with a displacement of 3,000 Tons. The NGOPVs will achieve speeds of up to 23 knots. Their endurance will be 8,500 nautical miles at a speed of 14 knots.

The NGOPVs will play a variety of roles. With a draught requirement of only 4 metres, they would be able to operate in coastal waters, protecting offshore assets, carrying out maritime interdiction, as well as visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations. They will also be part of presence-cum-surveillance and mine warfare missions while having the capability to support special operations.

These warships will also participate in ‘Out of Area’ Contingency Operations, non-combatant evacuation, convoy operations, anti-piracy missions and counter-infiltration operations. Apart from these, they will take on poachers and traffickers, and participate in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as search and rescue missions. They will also be able to operate as hospital and COMINT ships apart from providing fleet maintenance support.

Vice Admiral Vatsayan commended GRSE’s role in keeping the Navy supplied with advanced warships. “Over the years, the Indian Navy has evolved into a force that is not only prepared for conflicts but equally committed to shaping the stable maritime environment through cooperation, presence and readiness. In this broader context, the Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel project holds considerable significance. I would like to convey my appreciation to GRSE, which has consistently demonstrated its capability in delivering quality platforms to the Indian Navy, having delivered eight ships in the last financial year. Today’s launch adds another important chapter to its legacy,” he said.

Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE, highlighted the technological advances that the shipyard has made adding to enhanced capabilities. “We are kickstarting 2026-27 with the launch of this vessel and this year too will see multiple launches and deliveries”, he said.

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This ship is part of a larger government plan to build 11 advanced patrol vessels at shipyards in Goa and Kolkata to protect India’s waters. Once ready, Sanghmitra will be used for important missions like stopping sea pirates, monitoring coastlines, protecting offshore oil rigs, and helping with search and rescue operations during natural disasters. Defense officials highlighted that building this ship locally is a major success for India’s “Make in India” goals, proving that the nation is becoming completely self-reliant in manufacturing its own powerful military hardware.

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Partnering India’s march towards defence indigenization, SAIL has supplied entire special steel for this project. This marks yet another impressive milestone in SAIL’s journey to support India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative and help the nation lessen its import dependency. Towards this direction, SAIL had also supplied special steel in the past to INS Vikrant, INS Vindyagiri, INS Nilgiri, INS Surat, among other notable projects.

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The trial validated the missile’s Man-in-Loop feature, enabling in-flight retargeting. It successfully struck a small ship target in sea-skimming mode at maximum range. The missile employs an Indigenous Imaging Infra-Red Seeker for terminal guidance and features a high-bandwidth, two-way data link that transmits live seeker images to the pilot.

During the test, the missile was launched in Bearing-Only Lock-on After Launch mode, scanning multiple targets before initially locking onto a large ship. In the terminal phase, the pilot redirected it to a smaller hidden target, achieving a pinpoint strike.

The NASM-SR is equipped with an Indigenous Fiber Optic Gyroscope-based INS, Radio Altimeter for mid-course guidance, Electro-Mechanical Actuators for aerodynamic and jet vane control, and a PCB warhead. It uses a solid-propellant system with an in-line ejectable booster and a long-burn sustainer. The trials met all mission objectives.

Developed by DRDO labs, including Research Centre Imarat, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, and Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, the missile is now in production through Development cum Production Partners, MSMEs, start-ups, and other industry collaborators.

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The vessel, christened INS Utkarsh, was launched by Dr Sushmita Misra Singh, the wife of Union Defence Secretary Mr Rajesh Kumar Singh. Mr Singh, Vice Admiral B Sivakumar (Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition), Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi (Assistant Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition) and senior leaders of L&T were present.

Following an accelerated production schedule, the launch of INS Utkarsh comes within three months of the launch of the first MPV INS Samarthak. The first vessel is now being readied for undergoing tests and trials prior to its delivery to the Indian Navy.

The MPVs are highly specialised, and play multiple roles, including serving as trial platforms, for the development of next generation weapons and sensors. They will perform maritime surveillance, humanitarian assistance, combat sea pollution, besides taking up launch and recovery of surface and aerial assets, etc.

The MPVs are 107m long, 18.6m wide with a displacement over 3,750 tonnes. In keeping with Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission and Make in India initiative, the design engineering of the MPVs has been undertaken at L&T’s in-house Warship Design Centre at Chennai and the construction is accomplished at L&T’s Katupalli Shipyard.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr A T Ramchandani, Senior Vice President & Head – L&T Precision Engineering & Systems, said: “The successful launch of the second MPV ahead of schedule underscores L&T’s unwavering commitment to bolster India’s national security. With our unmatched in-house design expertise and execution prowess, we are committed to providing cutting-edge defence platforms to support Indian Navy’s fleet expansion needs.

L&T’s Kattupalli Shipyard is one of the most advanced shipbuilding and ship repair facilities in India and is equipped with ship-lift, dry and wet berths to concurrently undertake new ship building and repairs.

Besides the two MPVs, L&T is also constructing three Cadet Training Ships and six other defence vessels for the Indian Navy on public-private-partnership model. This apart, the repair of the Indian naval ship INS Tir is also currently underway at the Kattupalli Shipyard.

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These warships are the largest of their class ever built in India. This stands testimony to GRSE’s advanced shipbuilding capabilities and its commitment towards Atmanirbharta. INS Sandhayak, the lead vessel of this series, was commissioned on February 3, 2024.

Shri Sanjay Seth, Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri was the Chief Guest at the impressive ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. Among the others present were Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral B Sivakumar, AVSM, VSM, Controller Warship Production & Acquisition, Cmde P R Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, Shri Sanjay Dattatreya Panse, Independent Director, GRSE, Shri Sanjeev Mohanty, Independent Director, GRSE, Flag Officers from Indian Navy and other Senior Officers from GRSE.

This ship marks the 110^th warship constructed by GRSE. Among these, 72 were built for the Indian Navy, 36 for the Indian Coast Guard, and 02 were export warships- CGS Barracuda for the Mauritius Coast Guard and SCG PS Zoroaster for the Seychelles Coast Guard. GRSE is the only shipyard in the country to have delivered so many warships to the country’s maritime security forces and friendly foreign countries till date.

The 110-metre-long INS Nirdeshak will join INS Sandhayak in keeping the Navy abreast with the latest survey data that is extremely crucial for operations. The SVLs of this class are capable of full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic survey of port and harbour approaches as well as the determination of navigation channels and routes. In addition, these Sandhayak-class of SVLs can undertake surveys of maritime limits and collect oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications. Such data adds muscle to India’s maritime capabilities.

These ships can carry a helicopter each, participate in low-intensity combat and function as hospital ships. They can also be used for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.

Propelled by two marine diesel engines combined with fixed-pitch propellers and fitted with bow and stern thrusters to help the ships manoeuvre at low speeds during surveys, they are ideally suited to carry out their designated operations. Fully designed by GRSE’s Design Team to meet the requirements of the Indian Navy, INS Nirdeshak was built using ‘Integrated Construction’ technology. This was in compliance with applicable provisions and regulations of the Classification Society (IRS).

INS Nirdeshak is the reincarnation of a survey ship of that name, built and delivered to the Indian Navy by GRSE in 1982. That ship was 85.8-metres-long and served with glory for over 32 years before being decommissioned. Apart from her normal duties, she also undertook hydrographic surveys in Mauritius and the Seychelles as per agreements between these countries and the Government of India. She also carried out a survey off the Dwarka coast, creating a 3D model of the ocean floor that archaeologists used to unearth the lost city. She also participated in anti-piracy operations off the Seychelles coast and helped in the arrest of nine pirates who were trying to hijack an Italian cruise liner.

In his address, Shri Sanjay Seth, Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri, highlighted that the commissioning of the Nirdeshak class vessel showcases India’s commitment to becoming a maritime power through farsighted vision and relentless effort. He praised GRSE for its remarkable contribution to indigenous shipbuilding, noting that its dedication, along with the efforts of thousands of shipyard staff and the enterprising spirit of MSMEs, has been instrumental in strengthening the nation’s self-reliance. The RRM also acknowledged GRSE’s impressive track record in producing diverse warships, emphasizing its vital role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

In his address during the occasion, Cmde P R Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, highlighted the shipyard’s capabilities in handling the most complex and advanced warships ordered by the Navy.

“Commissioning of INS Nirdeshak is a great moment for Team GRSE and we are confident that the ship shall make the Shipyard, Navy and the Nation proud in the years to come,” Cmde Hari said.

At the moment, GRSE is building 44 platforms that include 17 warships of four different classes for the Indian Navy. The warships include three 17A Advanced Frigates, eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft and four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels. Of these warships, 12 have already been launched and are now at various stages of outfitting.

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The convoy’s crossing of Atal Setu Sea Bridge, a bridge typically restricted for motorcycles, marks a landmark moment in India’s motorcycling and engineering history. This  milestone event highlights the innovative and adventurous spirit shared by the Indian Armed Forces and these legendary motorcycle brands.

Leading the 22-strong convoy were senior officers of the Indian Navy, joined by riders from the Western Naval Command and representatives from the Army and Air Force. All 22 motorcycles, proudly manufactured indigenously, epitomized the Make in India vision, showcasing the synergy between homegrown innovation and the indomitable spirit of the armed forces.

“The sight of a phalanx of Jawa, Yezdi, and BSA motorcycles roaring across Atal Setu fills me with pride. It is fitting that these Made-in-India machines partnered with the Indian Navy to celebrate the ‘Ride of the Marakkars’ and honour India’s maritime history” said Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group and co-founder of Classic Legends.

Beginning at INS Kunjali in Mumbai, the rally traversed scenic coastal routes with stopovers at Pune, Satara, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, and Goa. Along the way, riders visited sites of maritime significance, including Ratnadurg Fort, Fort Aguada, and Sinhagad Fort, honoring India’s naval heritage and the legacy of the iconic Kunjali Marakkars.

“It’s fitting that this rally ended with a historic first on Atal Setu,” said Lieutenant Commander Vishal Nair. “As we crossed the bridge, it felt like a tribute to the countless bridges—both literal and symbolic—that the Navy builds with the people of this nation.”

Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles have a strong relationship with the Indian Armed Forces, having participated in landmark events such as the INS Vikramaditya expedition, Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations, and the launch of the Jawa 42 Tawang Edition. The “Ride of the Marakkars” continues this proud tradition of supporting India’s defenders, reflecting the brand’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of performance and reliability.

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The 10-day journey will cover a round trip of 1,580 kilometres, culminating at the origin point on December 11th. The convoy, featuring motorcycles proudly manufactured in India, will make strategic stopovers at Pune, Satara, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, and Goa. Throughout their journey, the riders will champion national pride, environmental sustainability, and community engagement.

“The ‘Ride of the Marakkars’ represents a significant milestone in our enduring partnership with the Indian Navy,” says Vishal Choudhary, Chief marketing officer of Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles. “This historic ride symbolizes the bridge we continue to build between India’s maritime defenders and the communities they protect. Our motorcycles embody the same values of reliability and excellence that the Indian Navy stands for.”

As we commemorate Navy Day, we are thrilled to join forces with Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles to honour the fearless spirit of the heroes of the Indian Navy. These Made-in-India motorcycles stand testament to our values of adventure, performance and respect for our cultural heritage. Together, we’re excited to connect with the young Indians who are driving the country’s future,” says the ride captain, Lieutenant Commander Vishal Nair, of the Indian Navy

As part of Navy Week celebrations, the ‘Ride of the Marakkars’ motorcycle rally, organized by INS Kunjali in association with Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles, pays tribute to India’s rich maritime history and the legacy of the iconic Kunjali Marakkars. Over ten days, 24 sea warriors from the Western Naval Command traverse the scenic Konkan coast, visiting sites of maritime significance and engaging with local communities and youth. The initiative emphasizes national pride, cultural heritage, and environmental sustainability through tree plantations and outreach programs, inspiring patriotism and highlighting the Navy’s role in fostering unity and fitness across the nation.

Community Engagement and History

Throughout the journey, the convoy will make meaningful stops at historical maritime landmarks and conduct community outreach programs:

• Educational visits to schools and colleges across five cities
• Career guidance sessions highlighting opportunities in the Indian Navy
• Tree plantation initiatives at each major stopover
• Interactive sessions at historical naval sites

The Legacy Continues

Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles have maintained a strong relationship with the Indian Armed Forces, from the INS Vikrant expedition to Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations and the Jawa 42 Tawang Edition. The “Ride of the Marakkars” continues this proud tradition of support for India’s defenders, reflecting the commitment to maintaining the highest standards of performance and reliability.

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Among the others present were Cmde P R Hari IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, Rear Admiral Sandeep Mehta, ACWP&A, India Navy, Cdr Shantanu Bose, IN(Retd), Director (Shipbuilding), GRSE & other Senior officials of the Indian Navy, GRSE & L&T were present at the occasion.

The launch of a ship is an important event when the vessel gets a name and feels water for the first time under her keel. A warship also gets her name during the launch, which is considered her birth.

The Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (Yard 3032) was named “Abhay” by Smt Sandhya Pendharkar, and this launch came barely seven months after the joint launch of the 5^th and 6^th vessels of this series.

These Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts or ASW SWCs require a draught of barely 2.7 metres and are capable of conducting operations in coastal waters, close to shore. They are also capable of Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and mine laying operations.

These 77.6-metre-long and 10.5-metre-wide extremely potent warships are also capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance of not only coastal waters but various surface platforms and coordinated anti-submarine operations with aircraft. These ships pack a lethal anti-submarine suite comprising light weight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines. They are also armed with 30 mm Close-in Weapons System and 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote-Control Guns. These warships are fitted with a Hull Mounted Sonar and a Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar for effective underwater surveillance.

Vice Admiral Pendharkar praised GRSE’s remarkable achievements during his address, emphasizing the shipyard’s crucial role in India’s naval strength. “It is heartening to know that the GRSE has designed and built over 110 warships till date, which is the highest number of warships delivered by any Indian shipyard. It is also heartening to note that in addition to the ASW Shallow Water Craft, the shipyard is constructing the P-17 Alpha class frigates, Survey Vessel Large, the New Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Indian Navy and multiple other projects for the DRDO and other entities. This proves the versatility of the GRSE and its status as a major shipyard in the country,” he remarked.

He further highlighted the progress of the latest project, adding, “I am also glad to note that the ship being launched today has achieved close to 40% physical progress of construction at this stage. Thus, this project stands as a shining example of what can be achieved when we combine our engineering expertise with the collaborative spirit of public-private partnerships.” The Vice Admiral concluded his address by encouraging GRSE, saying, “To our partners at GRSE, I encourage you to continue to push the boundaries of innovation, quality, and speed.”

Cmde Hari spoke on the capabilities of GRSE and the shipyard’s commitment towards keeping the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard supplied with modern warships that possess latest technologies.

“GRSE has delivered 72 warships so far to the Indian Navy, and 17 more warships are currently under construction. With more orders on the anvil, we intend scoring a century of warships for the Navy within a decade. Launch of Abhay today is a milestone event and we are confident on delivering all the 8 ships of this project within the overall project completion date” he said.

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