Chennai: The first ship of the two multi-purpose vessel project, being built by L&T Shipyard for the Indian Navy, was launched on 14 October 2024 at L&T Kattupalli. In keeping with maritime traditions, the ship was launched by Shashi Tripathi, President of NWWA. The ceremony was presided over by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff. The ship has been named 'Samarthak', which means 'Supporter', reflecting the multi-dimensional role envisaged for the platform.

The contract for building two multi-purpose vessels was signed between the Ministry of Defence and L&T Shipyard on 25 March 2022. These vessels will be capable of towing ships, launching and recovering various targets, operating uncrewed autonomous vehicles, and acting as a trial platform for various indigenous weapons and sensors under development. The multi-purpose vessels can achieve a maximum speed of 15 knots and are 106 meters long and 16.8 meters wide.

The Indian Navy remains steadfast in its efforts toward indigenous shipbuilding. The launch of this vessel by a private Indian shipyard showcases the Navy's strides in indigenous shipbuilding, in line with the Government of India's vision for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and the 'Make in India' initiative.

BI Bureau