Indian Navy’s Next-Gen Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Shruti’ launched at GRSE Kolkata
Kolkata. The Indian Navy’s push towards indigenous warship construction received a boost with the launch of Yard 3037, the Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) ‘Shruti’, at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata on August 11.
The vessel was launched Manika Sadhu in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition. Senior officials from the Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence and GRSE attended the launch ceremony.
The construction of the NGOPVs is being undertaken simultaneously by two Indian shipyards – GRSE in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Goa. The indigenously designed and built vessels are intended to strengthen the Navy’s existing fleet of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and NGOPVs and enhance its capabilities across a range of maritime missions.
The ships will be deployed for maritime surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and anti-piracy operations, among other roles.
The naming of the vessel reflects India’s maritime and cultural heritage. ‘Shruti’ refers to the four Vedas, while the ship’s crest features the Ursa Major constellation and a red-and-white lighthouse, symbolising guidance and navigation.
The launch represents another milestone in the Navy’s efforts to expand indigenous warship production and reduce dependence on foreign sources for critical naval platforms. The programme is aligned with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) and Make in India initiatives, which seek to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing and shipbuilding capabilities.
The concurrent construction of NGOPVs at GRSE and GSL also highlights the growing capacity of India’s domestic shipbuilding industry to undertake multiple complex naval projects simultaneously.
