Navy launches next-generation offshore patrol vessel Shruti at GRSE
The indigenously designed vessel will support maritime surveillance, search and rescue, offshore asset protection, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and anti-piracy operations.
The launch of Yard 3037, Shruti, at GRSE in Kolkata, with Manika Sadhu and Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, along with senior officials from the Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence and GRSE.
KOLKATA: The Indian Navy on Tuesday launched Yard 3037, Shruti, a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, marking another step in India’s push for indigenous warship construction.
The vessel was launched by Manika Sadhu in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. Senior officials from the Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence and GRSE attended the launch ceremony.
The construction of the Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels is being undertaken concurrently at two Indian shipyards — GRSE in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Goa.
The indigenously designed and built vessels are intended to augment the Indian Navy’s existing Offshore Patrol Vessels and New Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels and strengthen its capabilities for a range of maritime operations.
The NGOPVs will undertake missions including maritime surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and anti-piracy operations.
The naming of the new vessel also draws from India’s cultural heritage. The ship has been named Shruti, referring to the four Vedas.
Its crest features the constellation of Ursa Major along with a red-and-white lighthouse, combining maritime symbolism with the vessel’s identity.
The launch of Shruti is significant for India’s naval shipbuilding programme as the country seeks to increase the share of indigenously designed and manufactured defence platforms.
The simultaneous construction of NGOPVs at GRSE and GSL also reflects the growing role of India’s domestic shipbuilding industry in meeting the requirements of the armed forces.
The vessels are being developed to provide a flexible maritime platform capable of performing both routine surveillance and operational missions across India’s maritime domain.
Their roles in protecting offshore assets and supporting search-and-rescue operations are particularly relevant to India’s extensive maritime interests, while their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capability adds an important non-combat dimension to the platform.
The launch is in line with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives, reinforcing the emphasis on domestic design, shipbuilding and defence manufacturing.
For the Indian Navy, the induction of more indigenously built offshore patrol vessels will add to its ability to maintain a sustained presence across India’s maritime areas while reducing dependence on foreign sources for critical naval platforms.
The launch of Shruti therefore represents more than the completion of another warship construction milestone. It adds another indigenous platform to India’s growing naval fleet and underscores the country’s continuing effort to build a stronger domestic defence-industrial and shipbuilding capability.
