Panjim, Goa / New Delhi: Keel laying ceremony of the first NGOPV (ex-GSL) was held at Goa Shipyard Ltd, Goa on May 3, 2024. The ceremony was presided by VAdm B Siva Kumar, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition in presence of B K Upadhyay, Chairman and Managing Director, GSL and other senior officials from Indian Navy and GSL.
The contracts for indigenous design and construction of 11 Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPV) were concluded on March 30, 2023 between MoD and Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL), Goa and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, with seven ships to be constructed by Lead Shipyard GSL and four ships by Follow Shipyard GRSE.
The NGOPVs will be utilised for performing missions such as anti-piracy, coastal defence and surveillance, search and rescue and protection of offshore assets. These ships will enable Indian Navy to maintain its combat capability to protect the economic and geopolitical interests of the nation in the Indian Ocean Region.
This is yet another significant milestone in Indian Navy’s pursuit towards indigenous shipbuilding and is in consonance with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India‘ initiatives of the nation.
