Ocean Research Vessel ORV Sagar Manthan Launched at Kolkata
India's first advanced ocean research vessel ORV Sagar Manthan was launched on 9 September 2026 at Kolkata, built by GRSE for NCPOR at about Rs 840 crore.

Why in News
On 9 September 2026 the ocean research vessel ORV Sagar Manthan, built by GRSE for NCPOR under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, was launched at Kolkata by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh at a cost of about Rs 840 crore.
India has put its first advanced ocean research vessel into the water. ORV Sagar Manthan, earlier known only as Yard 3041, was launched on 9 September 2026 at the Rishi Bankim Shipyard in Kolkata. Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of Earth Sciences, launched it virtually, and his spouse Mrs Manju Singh named the ship as tradition requires.
Who built it and for whom
The vessel was designed, engineered and built by the defence public sector undertaking Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE). The owner is the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), which works under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Dr T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary of the ministry, was present at Kolkata.
The ship in figures
| Item | Detail |
| Cost | About Rs 840 crore |
| Programme | Vertical-4, Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration, of the Deep Ocean Mission |
| Service life | 30 years |
| Certification | Dual class, Indian Register of Shipping and American Bureau of Shipping |
| Commissioning | Scheduled for 2028 |
What it replaces
The new ship will gradually take over from the 43-year-old ORV Sagar Kanya, which India bought from Germany in 1983. The minister called the day a red letter day and noted that the launch came within two years of the contract and barely five months after the keel was laid.
What it will do
ORV Sagar Manthan is an all-weather platform built to work even in the Southern Ocean. It carries dynamic positioning, multibeam bathymetry, multichannel seismic systems, sub-bottom profiling and weather radar, and can deploy remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater vehicles. Its research will run along the mid-oceanic ridges of the Indian Ocean, looking for multi-metal hydrothermal sulphide mineralisation, setting environmental baselines and collecting upper-air data.
Milestones so far
The contract was signed in July 2024, the first steel was cut on 29 November 2024 and the keel was laid on 8 April 2026. Superstructure erection, system integration and sea trials come next, before delivery to NCPOR.
Important Facts
| Vessel | ORV Sagar Manthan (Yard 3041) |
|---|---|
| Launched on | 9 September 2026, Rishi Bankim Shipyard, Kolkata |
| Launched by | Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of Earth Sciences (virtually) |
| Builder | Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) |
| Owner | National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences |
| Cost | About Rs 840 crore |
| Programme | Vertical-4 of the Deep Ocean Mission |
| Service life | 30 years |
| Replaces | ORV Sagar Kanya, 43 years old, bought from Germany in 1983 |
| Commissioning | Scheduled for 2028 |
Exam Point of View
Remember the name of the vessel and its yard number 3041, the builder GRSE, the owner NCPOR under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the cost of about Rs 840 crore, the Deep Ocean Mission vertical it belongs to, the service life of 30 years, the 2028 commissioning and the older ship it replaces, ORV Sagar Kanya of 1983.
Practice Questions
Which shipyard designed and built the ocean research vessel ORV Sagar Manthan, launched on 9 September 2026?
- A.Cochin Shipyard Limited
- B.Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
- C.Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited
- D.Hindustan Shipyard Limited
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited
Explanation
The correct answer is Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, a defence public sector undertaking, which designed, engineered and constructed the vessel at its Rishi Bankim Shipyard in Kolkata for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research. The minister praised the yard for completing the launch within two years of signing the contract. Option A, Cochin Shipyard, is the yard associated with the indigenous aircraft carrier, which makes it the most attractive wrong choice for anyone who remembers only that an Indian yard did something notable. Option B, Mazagon Dock, builds submarines and destroyers for the Navy at Mumbai, again a real and important yard but not this one. Option D, Hindustan Shipyard at Visakhapatnam, also builds and repairs ships for the government. Anchor the answer with the city: this launch took place at Kolkata, and the Kolkata yard is GRSE.
ORV Sagar Manthan will gradually replace which older research vessel?
- A.ORV Sagar Nidhi
- B.ORV Sagar Kanya
- C.INS Sandhayak
- D.MV Sagar Sampada
Show answer
Correct answer: B. ORV Sagar Kanya
Explanation
The correct answer is ORV Sagar Kanya. That vessel is 43 years old and was procured from Germany in 1983, and the new ship will take over its work step by step. The point matters because the replacement marks a shift from buying research platforms abroad to building them in India, which the Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences highlighted at the ceremony. Option A, Sagar Nidhi, is a research vessel of the National Institute of Ocean Technology and is not the ship named for replacement here. Option C, INS Sandhayak, is a naval survey vessel, so it belongs to the Navy rather than to the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Option D, Sagar Sampada, is a fishery and oceanographic research vessel and shares the Sagar prefix, which is exactly why it is a tempting distractor. Remember the German origin and the year 1983 with the name Sagar Kanya.
ORV Sagar Manthan was built under which programme, and at what approximate cost?
- A.Deep Ocean Mission, about Rs 840 crore
- B.Mission Samudrayaan, about Rs 640 crore
- C.Blue Revolution, about Rs 940 crore
- D.O-SMART Scheme, about Rs 740 crore
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Deep Ocean Mission, about Rs 840 crore
Explanation
The correct answer is the Deep Ocean Mission, about Rs 840 crore. More precisely, the ship was built under Vertical-4 of that mission, which deals with deep ocean survey and exploration, and it is an all-weather multidisciplinary platform engineered even for the Southern Ocean, with a projected service life of 30 years. Option B names Samudrayaan, which is the crewed submersible effort and is itself a part of the wider deep ocean effort rather than the programme named in this release, and its cost figure is invented. Option C, Blue Revolution, is a fisheries development scheme and has nothing to do with research vessels. Option D, O-SMART, is a real ocean services and technology scheme of the same ministry, which makes it the sharpest distractor, but the vessel is placed under the Deep Ocean Mission. Note also the dual class certification by the Indian Register of Shipping and the American Bureau of Shipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which shipyard built ORV Sagar Manthan?
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, a defence public sector undertaking, at its Rishi Bankim Shipyard in Kolkata. The vessel was built for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research.
Which older vessel will ORV Sagar Manthan replace?
ORV Sagar Kanya, which is 43 years old and was procured from Germany in 1983. The Ministry of Earth Sciences also plans to acquire more oceanographic vessels and a polar research vessel.
Under which mission was ORV Sagar Manthan built?
Under Vertical-4, Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration, of the Deep Ocean Mission, at a cost of about Rs 840 crore. Its commissioning is scheduled for 2028.
Sources
Current Affairs 9 September 2026
- Cabinet Clears Eight Railway Multitracking Projects in Nine StatesEconomy
- Rajnath Singh in Colombo: India, Sri Lanka Sign Two Defence MoUsDefence
- UIDAI Launches Aadhaar Face Authentication SDK and SandboxBanking & Finance
- India Endorses Call to Action for 6G Leadership and SecurityScience & Technology
- 9th ASEAN-India Agriculture Ministerial Meeting Held in New DelhiSummits & Conferences
- 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 Launched at VaranasiGovernment Schemes
- Bhagwat Prasad Makwana Takes Charge as NCSK ChairpersonAppointments
Related Current Affairs
- Science & Technology
India Endorses Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security
24 September 2026 · 2 min read
- Science & Technology
India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar Inaugurated at Sambalpur, Odisha
24 September 2026 · 2 min read
- Science & Technology
PM Modi Inaugurates SEMICON India 2026, Launches Semicon 2.0
24 September 2026 · 2 min read
- Science & Technology
RRI Scientists Delay Entanglement Sudden Death with Timed Flip
24 September 2026 · 2 min read
- Science & Technology
6th RISE Conclave 2026 Opens at CSIR-IICB in Kolkata
24 September 2026 · 2 min read
- Science & Technology
Vice President Launches India Valve Registry in Chennai
24 September 2026 · 2 min read
Related GK
- Fundamental Rights (Articles 12–35): Notes, Writs and PYQs
23 September 2026 · Indian Polity
- Preamble of the Indian Constitution: Notes, Keywords and PYQs
22 September 2026 · Indian Polity
- Making of the Indian Constitution: Notes, Key Dates and PYQs
21 September 2026 · Indian Polity
Take the Quiz
- Current Affairs Quiz
State Exams Current Affairs Quiz: 9 September 2026
25 questions25 minutesStart Quiz





