KARWAR: Samarthak, India's first multi-purpose vessel built by a private shipyard, was commissioned into the Navy on Friday, marking a major milestone in expanding the role of domestic industry in warship construction.
Addressing the commissioning ceremony in the presence of Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan at the Navy's base at Karwar, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan said the vessel, built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T) at its Kattupalli shipyard in Tamil Nadu, has more than 75 per cent indigenous content.
Karnataka Minister for Labour Santosh Lad was also present on the occasion.
Admiral Swaminathan described the commissioning as a significant step towards 'Aatmanirbharata' (self-reliance), noting that the vessel was designed, engineered and built entirely in-house at L&T's Warship Design Centre and shipyard.
Samarthak is the first of the four multi-purpose vessels inducted into the Indian Navy, and its commissioning marks another important milestone in India's drive towards defence self-reliance. It will form an important component of the Navy's future and is an ideal "utility" ship for strategically important operations.
"Samarthak is the first major or big warship contracted to and constructed by a private shipyard to be commissioned into the Indian Navy," he said.
The vessel is designed to undertake a range of operational and support roles, including trials of indigenous weapons and sensors, operations involving unmanned autonomous systems, and maritime surveillance and patrol duties.
Admiral Swaminathan explained that Samarthak is equipped with a state-of-the-art dynamic positioning system and can launch and recover targets used in warship exercises at sea. It will also serve as a trial platform for indigenous weapons and sensors under development.
"These capabilities are particularly vital in today's rapidly evolving technological milieu, where shortening the journey from prototype to production is critical to maintaining the operational edge at sea," he said.
The vessel's capabilities extend beyond testing and evaluation. Its endurance and ability to support other ships at sea will help sustain naval operations across dispersed areas of interest for extended periods, the Navy chief said.
Samarthak is also equipped with heavy-towing facilities, medical infrastructure and firefighting capabilities to assist ships in distress and respond to emergencies at sea. It can support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations as well as non-combatant evacuation missions.
Admiral Swaminathan said the vessel would strengthen the Navy's operational readiness, help translate emerging technologies into operational capabilities and reinforce India's role as a first responder and preferred security partner in the region, in line with the national vision of Mahasagar.
He congratulated L&T's leadership and workforce, along with the Navy's warship production teams, micro, small and medium enterprises, equipment manufacturers and other industry partners involved in the project.
The Navy chief, however, stressed the need to draw lessons from the vessel's construction to improve build quality and reduce construction timelines for future ships.
"Even a very successful maiden achievement can give us useful pointers to strengthen our efforts in the long term," he said.
Addressing the ship's commissioning crew, he stressed that they are responsible for setting high standards and giving the vessel its operational purpose and spirit.
The commissioning marks another step in the Navy's efforts to deepen collaboration with domestic shipyards and industry to develop indigenous technologies and strengthen India's maritime industrial base.