Indian Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd took a big step forward on April 24, 2025, by laying the keel for the fourth Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) for the Indian Navy. This event is a major moment for the shipyard, showing how fast and efficiently it is working.
Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, AVSM, NM, CWP&A of the Indian Navy, who was the Chief Guest, praised GRSE for its speed and energy in handling naval projects. He said, “GRSE has really ramped up and picked up pace… projects are moving at breakneck speed.”
According to Ministry of Defence, many other respected names were present at the event. These included Cmde P R Hari (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE, along with RK Dash, Director (Finance), Cdr Shantanu Bose (Retd), Director (Shipbuilding), DIG Subrato Ghosh (Retd), Director (Personnel), and Abhishek Ranjan, CVO.
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Indian Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel: Powerful New Ships
GRSE used modular construction to build the NGOPVs, allowing the shipyard to work on up to 40 platforms at once, including 17 for the Indian Navy. These new patrol vessels are 113 meters long, weigh 3,000 tons, and can reach speeds of 23 knots. With a range of 8,500 nautical miles at 14 knots, each ship will carry 24 officers and over 100 sailors.
Despite their size, they have a shallow draft of just 4 meters, making them versatile for both deep-sea and coastal operations. The ships are designed for various missions, including intelligence gathering, search and rescue, coastal protection, and anti-piracy.
Designed for a wide range of roles, the NGOPVs will support:
- Maritime interdiction
- Surveillance and coastal operations
- Anti-piracy and counter-infiltration missions
- Special operations and mine warfare
- Humanitarian aid and disaster relief
- Fleet support and medical assistance
GRSE’s Strong Record
GRSE has already shown that it is capable of building high-quality ships. In 2014, it won the Defence Minister’s Award of Excellence for designing MCGS Barracuda, which was India’s first warship made for another country, Mauritius. GRSE is also almost ready to deliver its first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft and has finished sea trials for the advanced frigate INS Himgiri.
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During the event, Cmde P R Hari, CMD of GRSE, shared his thoughts on where the shipyard is heading. He talked about GRSE’s plan to expand its capacity, build more next-generation ships, and work on advanced technologies, including unmanned vessels. He made it clear that the shipyard is focused on doing more and doing it faster.
This ceremony is part of India’s goal to become more self-reliant in defense through the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives. Eleven such NGOPVs will be built to help make India stronger at sea and to support its growing security needs.
