The third of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) built for the Indian Navy recently underwent a major steel-cutting ceremony at the Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Shipyard in Kattupalli.
This event took place on February 20, 2025, and was attended by Rear Admiral Satish Shenai along with other senior officials from the Indian Navy, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), and L&T.
As the Ministry of Defence has set the deadline for delivery commencing in mid-2027, HSL outsourced part of its project order to L&T. The order awarded to HSL in August, 2023, is worth ₹19,000 crore. This also helped HSL with a high order book position getting all its facilities busy with ship construction and repair works.
The FSS project is part of a broader effort to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy. These ships will have a displacement of approximately 40,000 tons and are designed to facilitate at-sea replenishment of fuel, ammunition, and supplies. They will also be equipped for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
The building’s fully indigenous design and use of domestically produced components are in line with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat concept.
In August 2023, HSL and the Indian Navy signed a deal that calls for the delivery of the first FSS by mid-2027. HSL has teamed with L&T to partially construct two ships in order to guarantee timely completion.
