INS Samarthak Joins Navy as First Indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel

The Indian Navy added its first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel on 16 October 2026, when Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan commissioned INS Samarthak at the naval base in Karwar, Karnataka. More than 75 per cent of the ship is made in India, and the Vice-President described it as proof that self-reliance in defence manufacturing has moved from an ambition to a working reality.

What the ship will do

INS Samarthak is not a warship built around a single weapon. It is a flexible platform meant to carry out trials and evaluation of the next generation of weapons, sensors and emerging technologies before they enter service. Its listed tasks are wide:

• Trials and evaluation of new weapons, sensors and emerging technologies
• Maritime surveillance and reconnaissance, and offshore patrolling
• Launch and recovery of targets, and operations with unmanned systems
• Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief duties

Because one hull can do all of this, the Navy can test indigenous inventions quickly and turn them into usable operational capability instead of waiting for a dedicated trials ship.

Who built it

The vessel was built by the private shipbuilder Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and the Vice-President read this as a sign of how large a role private shipyards now play alongside defence public sector undertakings, DRDO, academia, MSMEs and start-ups in the country's defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Why Karwar is the venue

Karwar has a deep natural harbour and sits close to the Arabian Sea, which makes it an important part of India's maritime security layout. Naval infrastructure there is being expanded under Project Seabird, which increases the Navy's room to base and maintain ships and submarines while bringing economic activity to the surrounding region.

Heritage recalled

Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice-President recalled the naval traditions of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Chola dynasty, whose fleets carried Indian influence across the Indian Ocean and into Southeast Asia. He also praised the Navy's record as a first responder in the Indian Ocean Region, from anti-piracy patrols to evacuating Indian citizens and running disaster relief missions.

Who attended

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was present, along with Vice-Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, and Rear Admiral Vikram Menon, Flag Officer (Karnataka). Commander Sushil Kumar Singh is the commanding officer of the new vessel.