Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) has launched ‘Shreyas’, the third of four Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs) being constructed for the Indian Navy, marking another major milestone in the country's indigenous warship-building effort.

The vessel was launched at GRSE’s shipyard in Kolkata less than two months after the launch of the second ship in the class, ‘Shruti’.

The first vessel of the series, ‘Sanghmitra’, was launched on 20 May, meaning GRSE has successfully launched three NGOPVs in less than five months.

‘Shreyas’ was formally launched by Reyman Kochhar, wife of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, in keeping with naval traditions and accompanied by Vedic rituals and shlokas.

Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar attended the ceremony as the chief guest and congratulated the Navratna defence public sector shipbuilder for achieving three launches in approximately five months, highlighting the pace at which the program is progressing.

The launch represents continued progress in the Indian Navy’s broader 11-ship NGOPV acquisition effort, under which GRSE is responsible for building four vessels while Goa Shipyard Limited is constructing the remaining ships.

The new-generation patrol vessels are substantially larger and more capable than earlier offshore patrol vessels operated by the Navy. They have been designed to deliver greater endurance, improved firepower and enhanced operational flexibility across a wide range of maritime missions.

Each NGOPV measures approximately 113 metres in length and 14.6 metres in beam, making them among the most capable patrol vessels planned for Indian naval service.

The vessels will be capable of attaining speeds of up to 23 knots and will have an endurance of around 8,500 nautical miles while cruising at 14 knots, enabling long-duration operations across the Indian Ocean Region.

Their design supports a broad spectrum of operational tasks, including coastal and offshore asset protection, maritime surveillance, maritime interdiction, mine warfare and special operations.

In addition, the class is expected to undertake anti-piracy missions, convoy escort duties, boarding and search operations, protection of critical maritime infrastructure, non-combatant evacuation tasks and other contingency deployments.

The program forms part of the Navy’s wider modernisation drive aimed at expanding indigenous shipbuilding capabilities while strengthening maritime security across India’s vast coastline and areas of strategic interest.

With only one vessel remaining to be launched under GRSE’s four-ship order, the shipyard continues to demonstrate a strong construction tempo and reinforces its role as one of India’s leading naval shipbuilders.

The launch of ‘Shreyas’ further boosts the Indian Navy’s future patrol and surveillance capabilities and underscores the growing maturity of India's domestic naval manufacturing ecosystem.

PTI