The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Samarthak, the first indigenous multi-purpose vessel (MPV) built by Larsen & Toubro (L&T), marking a significant step in strengthening India's self-reliance in naval capability and defence manufacturing.

The commissioning ceremony took place at Karwar on 16 October 2026 and was presided over by Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan in the presence of Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, the Governor of Karnataka and other senior military and government officials.

Designed and constructed at L&T's Kattupalli shipyard, INS Samarthak represents a major achievement for India's indigenous shipbuilding sector and highlights the growing contribution of private industry to national defence requirements. The vessel incorporates more than 75% indigenous content, reflecting the objectives of the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

Conceived as a dedicated platform for trials, testing and evaluation, the ship will enable the Navy to assess and validate domestically developed sensors, weapons and electronic systems before they are fielded across the fleet.

This is expected to reduce reliance on foreign facilities and accelerate the operational deployment of indigenous technologies.

Named Samarthak, meaning "the proponent", the vessel has been designed for far more than technology trials. It will undertake maritime surveillance and reconnaissance missions, offshore patrol duties and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The platform is also capable of supporting target deployment and recovery during weapons testing, as well as operating as a mothership for unmanned and autonomous systems.

Additional capabilities include support for salvage missions and the potential to be converted into a limited-capacity hospital ship during emergencies, enhancing its utility across a wide spectrum of naval and humanitarian operations.

The vessel features modern modular construction and pre-outfitting techniques that helped optimise the build process and shorten construction timelines. The project has also supported employment generation and contributed to the expansion of India's domestic industrial and technological base.

INS Samarthak is the first of a new class of multi-purpose vessels being inducted into the Navy. Built under a contract awarded to L&T in March 2022, the programme forms part of the Navy's broader effort to field versatile indigenous platforms capable of addressing both conventional maritime challenges and emerging operational requirements involving autonomous technologies.

The ship's induction comes at a time when maritime security environments are becoming increasingly complex, with traditional naval threats now accompanied by non-traditional challenges. Its multi-role design provides the flexibility required to respond rapidly across a range of operational scenarios.

The commissioning of INS Samarthak further strengthens the long-term partnership between the Indian Navy and the domestic shipbuilding industry while reinforcing the country's ambition to establish a resilient and globally competitive indigenous defence industrial ecosystem.

Agencies