Indian Navy launches next-generation offshore patrol vessel Shruti at GRSE Kolkata

The Indian Navy on Tuesday added another vessel to its future offshore patrol fleet with the launch of ‘Shruti’, a next-generation offshore patrol vessel (NGOPV) built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata. The ship is part of the Navy’s larger 11-vessel NGOPV programme intended to strengthen long-endurance maritime operations across surveillance, security and humanitarian roles.

Indigenously designed and constructed, Shruti is meant to reinforce the Navy’s existing offshore patrol vessel inventory while taking on a wide spectrum of missions in the maritime domain. These include maritime surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, and anti-piracy tasks.

The vessel was formally launched by Manika Sadhu, wife of Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, in the presence of senior Indian Navy officers and GRSE officials.

Addressing the event, Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu said the Indian Navy’s role extends beyond the defence of national interests alone. He noted that the service is also tasked with ensuring freedom of navigation, securing sea lanes and enabling the uninterrupted movement of energy and essential goods to and from India.

He also pointed to the advances made by India in building a stronger and more technologically capable domestic defence manufacturing and shipbuilding base, and commended GRSE for its long association with Indian naval construction.

According to the Navy, GRSE has delivered more than 110 warships to the Indian Navy over the decades. The shipyard has also built more than 800 ships and platforms for the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, export customers and other countries.

Shruti’s launch comes less than three months after GRSE launched another vessel, ‘Sanghmitra’, on May 20. The Navy’s next-generation offshore patrol vessels are being built simultaneously at two shipyards: GRSE in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited in Goa.

GRSE is responsible for constructing four ships under the 11-ship NGOPV programme. The broader project is aimed at improving the Navy’s ability to sustain maritime operations over extended periods, especially in missions that demand endurance and flexible deployment across different operational scenarios.

The new class represents a notable step up from earlier offshore patrol vessels in both size and capability. Shruti and other ships in the class are about 113 metres long and 14.6 metres wide, with a displacement of around 3,000 tonnes.

The vessels are designed for speeds of up to 23 knots and an endurance of roughly 8,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 14 knots. The Navy expects that this combination of range, endurance and advanced onboard sensors and equipment will allow greater flexibility during prolonged deployments at sea.

Commodore PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE, said the NGOPVs are significantly larger than the Navy’s earlier Sukanya-class and Saryu-class offshore patrol vessels. He said the new ships bring longer endurance, more advanced equipment and sensors, and an enhanced weapon fit.

The project is part of India’s wider push to expand indigenous warship construction and cut dependence on foreign sources for naval platforms. In that sense, the NGOPV effort aligns with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.

With its extended sea-keeping endurance, modern sensors, improved operational capacity and multi-mission profile, Shruti is expected to support the Indian Navy in maritime security, surveillance and the protection of India’s interests at sea.