Kolkata: Yet another glorious chapter was added to the rich annals of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, with the launch of the first Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV). The shipyard is building four NGOPVs for the Navy.
The warship, named Sanghmitra, was launched by Sarita Vatsayan, wife of Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, PVSM, AVSM, NM, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy, amidst rituals and chanting of shlokas. Vice Admiral Vatsayan was the Chief Guest at the occasion.
The name Sanghmitra means friend of the community. It was also the name of the eldest daughter of Emperor Ashoka, who is known to have travelled to Sri Lanka in the 3rd Century BC to spread the teachings of Lord Buddha.
The others present at the occasion were senior officials from GRSE and the Indian Navy.
GRSE has significant experience in the construction of warships and patrol vessels for maritime operations. The shipyard also built the OPV MCGS Barracuda, the first warship exported by India to Mauritius in 2014. GRSE bagged the Defence Minister’s Award of Excellence for in-house Design Effort for that warship.
The launch of this ship is on the heels of a successful year for GRSE, having delivered eight ships in a single year, including simultaneous delivery of three warships of different classes – the P17A stealth frigate, a Survey Vessel large and an ASW Shallow water craft – on a single day, March 20, 2026.
The NGOPVs will be much larger warships than the OPVs built earlier, and have greater endurance and firepower. These platforms will be about 113 metres long and 14.6 metres wide, with a displacement of 3,000 Tons. The NGOPVs will achieve speeds of up to 23 knots. Their endurance will be 8,500 nautical miles at a speed of 14 knots.
The NGOPVs will play a variety of roles. With a draught requirement of only 4 metres, they would be able to operate in coastal waters, protecting offshore assets, carrying out maritime interdiction, as well as visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations. They will also be part of presence-cum-surveillance and mine warfare missions while having the capability to support special operations.
These warships will also participate in ‘Out of Area’ Contingency Operations, non-combatant evacuation, convoy operations, anti-piracy missions and counter-infiltration operations. Apart from these, they will take on poachers and traffickers, and participate in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as search and rescue missions. They will also be able to operate as hospital and COMINT ships apart from providing fleet maintenance support.
Vice Admiral Vatsayan commended GRSE’s role in keeping the Navy supplied with advanced warships. “Over the years, the Indian Navy has evolved into a force that is not only prepared for conflicts but equally committed to shaping the stable maritime environment through cooperation, presence and readiness. In this broader context, the Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel project holds considerable significance. I would like to convey my appreciation to GRSE, which has consistently demonstrated its capability in delivering quality platforms to the Indian Navy, having delivered eight ships in the last financial year. Today’s launch adds another important chapter to its legacy,” he said.
Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE, highlighted the technological advances that the shipyard has made adding to enhanced capabilities. “We are kickstarting 2026-27 with the launch of this vessel and this year too will see multiple launches and deliveries,” he said.
