At Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, the first of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) had its “steel cutting” ceremony.

Giridhar Aramane, the defence secretary, presided over the event. Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, CMD, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, HSL Commander Hemant Khatri (Retd), and other high-ranking representatives of the Indian Navy and HSL were present for the event.

The Indian Navy is expected to receive the five Fleet Support Ships under contract from HSL starting in mid-2027. The contract was signed in August 2023.

By replenishing fleet ships at sea upon induction, the Fleet Support Ships will strengthen the Indian Navy’s “Blue Water” capabilities.

With a displacement of more than 40,000 tonnes, the ships will

In addition, these vessels would be outfitted for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid missions, which would involve rapidly transporting relief supplies to the affected area during natural disasters and evacuating persons in case of emergency.

This shipbuilding project, which is entirely indigenous in design and sources the majority of its equipment from domestic manufacturers, will support the GoI’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and “Make in India, Make for the World” objectives while also advancing the Indian shipbuilding industry.