Steel cutting begins for second Next Generation Missile Vessel for Indian Navy at Cochin Shipyard
Cochin Shipyard has begun construction of the second Next Generation Missile Vessel for the Indian Navy, strengthening India’s indigenous warship-building capabilities and maritime preparedness.
Rear Admiral Kapil Mehta, Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, was the chief guest at the ceremony. Senior officials from the Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard were also present.
KOCHI: Steel cutting for the second ship under the Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) project was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, on September 17, marking another step in the construction of a new class of missile vessels designed to enhance the Navy’s combat capabilities.
Rear Admiral Kapil Mehta, Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, was the chief guest at the ceremony. Senior officials from the Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard were also present.
The contract for construction of the NGMVs was concluded with Cochin Shipyard in March 2023. The vessels are planned to be equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, significantly enhancing their operational and combat capabilities.
The NGMV project is part of the Indian Navy’s continuing effort to strengthen its fleet and prepare for increasingly complex maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.
The new vessels are intended to contribute to the Navy’s objective of maintaining a “Future Ready and Combat Ready Force”, with advanced weapon and sensor systems providing enhanced operational capability.
Indigenous systems at the core
A significant feature of the NGMV programme is the indigenous development and manufacture of all major role-defining equipment.
The use of domestically developed systems underscores India’s growing capabilities in naval technology and warship construction and aligns with the government’s initiatives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Make for the World.
The integration of indigenous equipment into frontline naval platforms is also expected to strengthen the domestic defence industrial ecosystem by creating opportunities for Indian manufacturers, technology developers and specialised suppliers.
Strengthening maritime preparedness
The steel-cutting ceremony represents the transition of the second NGMV from the planning and contracting stage into physical construction.
With the Indian Ocean Region witnessing an increasingly complex maritime environment, the Navy has been focusing on developing a modern fleet capable of responding to evolving operational requirements.
The NGMVs, equipped with advanced weapons and sensors, are expected to add to this capability while reinforcing India’s efforts to build major naval platforms domestically.
The construction programme also highlights the expanding role of Indian shipyards in meeting the requirements of the armed forces and the country’s broader objective of achieving greater self-reliance in defence production.
The commencement of construction of the second NGMV at Cochin Shipyard thus marks another milestone in India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme, combining advanced combat capabilities with an increasing emphasis on domestically developed defence technologies.
