GRSE Delivers INS Nirdeshak, Second Survey Vessel to Indian Navy

New Delhi: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd delivered the INS Nirdeshak, the second in a series of four Survey Vessels (Large) being built by them, to the Indian Navy.

This is the 110th warship to be delivered by the defense shipyard to Indian maritime forces. INS Nirdeshak was launched by Sarbani Dasgupta, wife of Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, IN (Retd), the then Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, on May 26, 2022.

This delivery comes 10 months after the first ship of the series, INS Sandhayak, was delivered to the Indian Navy on December 4, 2023. These are the largest survey vessels for the Indian Navy to be built in India.

The Protocol of delivery and acceptance was signed between R K Dash, Director (Finance), GRSE, and Commanding Officer of the vessel, Capt Ajay Chauhan, in the presence of Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth, CSO (Tech) Eastern Naval Command, Subrato Ghosh, DIG, ICG (Retd), Director (Personnel) and other Senior officials of GRSE and Indian Navy.

The 110-metre-long INS Nirdeshak will join INS Sandhayak in keeping the Navy abreast with the latest survey data that is extremely crucial for operations. The SVLs of this class are capable of full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys of port and harbour approaches as well as the determination of navigation channels and routes.

In addition, these Sandhayak-class SVLs can undertake surveys of maritime limits and collect oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications. Such data adds muscle to India’s maritime capabilities.

These vessels are capable of carrying a helicopter each, engaging in low-intensity combat, and serving as hospital ships. They can also be utilized for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.

INS Nirdeshak is the reincarnation of a survey ship of that name, built and delivered to the Indian Navy by GRSE in 1982. That ship was 85.8 meters long and served with glory for over 32 years before being decommissioned.

In his message on achieving this significant milestone, CMD, GRSE, Cmde PR Hari IN (Retd), complimented his team, the Indian Navy, and all the other stakeholders, stating: “We are proud to deliver this ship 10 months after the first one in the series. These warships have a high percentage of indigenous content and are in keeping with the Government of India’s Atmanirbharta policy. We are confident to deliver the remaining two ships of the SVL project as per the committed timelines”.