Defence Minister Rajnath Singh marked a triple milestone at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam by launching FSS-1, the first of five Fleet Support Ships being built for the Indian Navy, laying the keel of FSS-5, and inaugurating the upgraded Slipway-4 along with a new 300-ton Goliath Crane. These developments are aimed at significantly expanding India's indigenous naval shipbuilding capability.

Addressing the gathering, Singh said Andhra Pradesh was poised to become a principal architect of India's maritime future, describing the day's achievements as an important contribution to the country's growing maritime strength.

He stated that the upgraded shipbuilding infrastructure would allow HSL to undertake larger and more sophisticated projects, noting that the enhanced Slipway-4 and the 300-ton Goliath Crane had positioned the shipyard to construct increasingly complex vessels.

According to HSL, the modernised Slipway-4 now possesses greater length and load-bearing capability, enabling the construction and launch of ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tons. The crane, which spans Slipways 3 and 4, is designed to handle larger ship blocks with greater speed and precision.

Singh described the launch of FSS-1 and the keel laying of FSS-5 as visible examples of Atmanirbharta, or self-reliance, taking shape in steel and contributing to the extension of the Indian Navy's operational reach across the Indian Ocean Region.

The Fleet Support Ships are being designed and built indigenously by HSL and represent one of India's most important naval logistics programmes.

These ships are intended to replenish warships at sea with fuel, ammunition, water and supplies, reducing the need for vessels to return to port and enabling longer deployments in distant maritime regions.

The vessels are expected to play a crucial role in improving the Navy's endurance, operational effectiveness and sustained presence across the Indian Ocean Region.

Additional details released around the program indicate that the Fleet Support Ships displace about 43,500 tons and are equipped with enhanced cargo and fluid transfer capacity, first-line maintenance facilities, helicopter operating capability and self-defence systems.

Singh praised HSL for achieving what he described as historic milestones and called the shipyard a pillar of India's maritime strength, noting its longstanding contribution to national maritime and defence requirements.

He also spoke about the significance of the shipyard's identity, remarking that every vessel leaving HSL carries not only the name painted on its hull but also the name of Hindustan itself.

HSL, a Miniratna Category-I Defence Public Sector Undertaking operating under the Ministry of Defence, has emerged as one of the country's key naval shipbuilding and ship repair centres. Singh highlighted the shipyard's transformation and recent progress in expanding indigenous capabilities.

Rear Admiral C Raghuram, VSM (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, described the Defence Minister's maiden visit to the shipyard as a moment of immense pride for the organisation.

He said the milestones reflected the commitment of HSL's workforce, the confidence placed in the shipyard by the Indian Navy and the support provided by industry partners.

Raghuram added that, supported by expanded infrastructure and the Fleet Support Ship program, HSL was prepared to deliver next-generation vessels for both national and international requirements.

The day's events underlined HSL's simultaneous expansion of industrial capacity and shipbuilding output, as the shipyard added new infrastructure, launched FSS-1 and laid the keel of FSS-5 in a single day, reinforcing India's push towards greater self-reliance in naval construction and maritime power projection.

Agencies