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Indian Navy to Commission First Multi-Purpose Vessel Samarthak

The Indian Navy will commission Samarthak, first of four Multi-Purpose Vessels built by Larsen and Toubro, at Naval Base Karwar on 16 October 2026.

By Published · 2 min read
Indian Navy to Commission First Multi-Purpose Vessel Samarthak

Why in News

The Indian Navy announced on 13 October 2026 that Samarthak, the first of four indigenously built Multi-Purpose Vessels, will be commissioned at Naval Base Karwar on 16 October 2026.

The Indian Navy is about to commission Samarthak, a warship designed to handle many different jobs, at Naval Base Karwar on 16 October 2026. She was built by Larsen and Toubro Ltd under the Government of India's Make in India initiative. Samarthak is the first of four Multi-Purpose Vessels that are being inducted into the Navy, so three sister ships of the same class are to follow her into service.

Why the induction matters

The Navy treats the event as a further milestone in the country's drive towards self-reliance in defence. Officers describe the ship as the ideal utility platform for operations of strategic importance, and she is expected to become an important component of the fleet the Navy is assembling for the years ahead.

The jobs she can take on

Surveillance and patrol at sea form her primary design role. The ship can also be used for Low Intensity Maritime Operations, as a target deployment and trials platform, and as a mothership for unmanned and autonomous systems. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief work is part of her brief as well, and she can be turned into a limited hospital ship when the need arises. Salvage operations round off the list. It is this spread of tasks that explains the multi-purpose label given to the class.

Sensors and weapons

Samarthak carries an integrated combat suite that brings indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems together in one package. These have been optimised for the demanding maritime environment in which the vessel will have to work, which keeps the fighting equipment as well as the hull within the domestic industrial base.

Crest and motto

The ship's crest shows a formidable Indian elephant rising out of the waves. The animal was chosen to convey strength, intelligence and agility. Her motto is written in Sanskrit as Vijayartham Ekanishthata, rendered in English as Victory is Our Sole Aim.

Important Facts

ShipSamarthak, Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV)
ServiceIndian Navy
Commissioning venueNaval Base, Karwar
Commissioning date16 October 2026
BuilderLarsen and Toubro Ltd, under Make in India
Position in classFirst of four Multi-Purpose Vessels
Primary roleMaritime surveillance and patrol
Other rolesLIMO, trials platform, unmanned systems mothership, HADR, limited hospital ship, salvage
CrestIndian elephant emerging from the waves
MottoVijayartham Ekanishthata - Victory is Our Sole Aim

Exam Point of View

Remember the ship's name (Samarthak), the builder (Larsen and Toubro), the commissioning venue (Naval Base Karwar), the date (16 October 2026), that she is the first of four Multi-Purpose Vessels, her roles including LIMO and HADR, the elephant crest and the motto Victory is Our Sole Aim.

Practice Questions

Q1.DefenceEasy

At which naval base will the Indian Navy commission the Multi-Purpose Vessel Samarthak?

  1. A.Visakhapatnam
  2. B.Kochi
  3. C.Karwar
  4. D.Mumbai
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Karwar

Explanation

The correct answer is Karwar. Samarthak is to be commissioned at Naval Base, Karwar, and the ceremony has been fixed for 16 October 2026. Karwar lies on the Karnataka coast and hosts the base from which the Navy is conducting this induction. Option A, Visakhapatnam, is the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command, but the announcement places the commissioning on the western seaboard at Karwar, not in Andhra Pradesh. Option B, Kochi, is a major naval station in Kerala and the home of several training establishments, yet it is not the venue named for Samarthak. Option D, Mumbai, hosts the Western Naval Command and the yard of another public sector shipbuilder, but again it is not where this vessel enters service. Candidates should link the ship's name with Karwar, with builder Larsen and Toubro Ltd, and with her standing as the first of four Multi-Purpose Vessels joining the Indian Navy under the Make in India initiative.

Q2.DefenceMedium

Samarthak is the first of how many Multi-Purpose Vessels being inducted into the Indian Navy?

  1. A.Two
  2. B.Three
  3. C.Four
  4. D.Six
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Four

Explanation

The correct answer is four. Samarthak is the first of four Multi-Purpose Vessels that are joining the Indian Navy, which means three more ships of the same class will be delivered after her. The number matters because examiners often pair a lead ship with the size of its class. Option A, two, understates the order and would wrongly suggest a pair of sister ships. Option B, three, is also short of the stated figure and is a common distractor because many naval orders are placed in threes. Option D, six, overstates the class size. The remaining details worth memorising are that Larsen and Toubro Ltd built the vessel under the Make in India initiative, that the commissioning takes place at Naval Base, Karwar on 16 October 2026, and that her design role is maritime surveillance and patrol, with secondary tasks ranging from disaster relief to salvage and service as a mothership for unmanned systems.

Q3.DefenceMedium

Which company built the Indian Navy's Multi-Purpose Vessel Samarthak?

  1. A.Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited
  2. B.Larsen and Toubro Ltd
  3. C.Cochin Shipyard Limited
  4. D.Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Larsen and Toubro Ltd

Explanation

The correct answer is Larsen and Toubro Ltd. The firm built Samarthak under the Government of India's Make in India initiative, and the Navy presents the commissioning as a milestone in the drive towards self-reliance in defence. Option A, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, is the Mumbai yard associated with destroyers and submarines, but it is not the builder here. Option C, Cochin Shipyard Limited, built the indigenous aircraft carrier and is a plausible guess, yet the release names a private sector builder instead. Option D, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, is the Kolkata yard known for smaller warships, and it too is not involved. Along with the builder, remember that the ship's integrated combat suite combines indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems optimised for a demanding maritime environment, and that she is the first of four such vessels entering service with the Indian Navy.

Q4.DefenceMedium

What does the crest of the Indian Navy's Multi-Purpose Vessel Samarthak depict?

  1. A.A tiger leaping over a wave
  2. B.An Indian elephant emerging from the waves
  3. C.A golden eagle above an anchor
  4. D.A trident crossed with a sword
Show answer
Correct answer: B. An Indian elephant emerging from the waves

Explanation

The correct answer is an Indian elephant emerging from the waves. The crest was designed around the formidable Indian elephant to convey strength, intelligence and agility, the qualities the Navy associates with this class of ship. Option A, a tiger over a wave, is a plausible sounding emblem because big cats appear on several naval crests, but it is not the device chosen for Samarthak. Option C, a golden eagle above an anchor, mixes common heraldic elements and is included only as a distractor. Option D, a trident crossed with a sword, echoes general naval imagery rather than this particular crest. The companion fact to remember is the ship's motto, Vijayartham Ekanishthata, which is rendered in English as Victory is Our Sole Aim. Together with the builder Larsen and Toubro Ltd and the venue Naval Base, Karwar, these are the details most likely to be asked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Samarthak and when is it being commissioned?

Samarthak is the first of four Multi-Purpose Vessels being inducted into the Indian Navy. It is to be commissioned at Naval Base, Karwar on 16 October 2026.

Who built the warship Samarthak?

Larsen and Toubro Ltd built Samarthak under the Government of India's Make in India initiative, and her combat suite uses indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems.

What roles can Samarthak perform?

Her main role is maritime surveillance and patrol. She can also undertake Low Intensity Maritime Operations, act as a target deployment and trials platform, serve as a mothership for unmanned systems, carry out Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, work on salvage and be converted into a limited hospital ship.

What is the motto of Samarthak?

Her motto is Vijayartham Ekanishthata, which in English means Victory is Our Sole Aim. The crest shows an Indian elephant emerging from the waves, standing for strength, intelligence and agility.

Sources