New Delhi: The Indian Navy is all set to commission its latest survey ship, INS Nirdeshak at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, on December 18, 2024. The ceremony will be presided over by the Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, as the Chief Guest. The ceremony will be hosted by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and attended by distinguished guests, including senior naval officials and GRSE representatives.
The ship, built at GRSE Kolkata, boasts over 80% indigenous content, reaffirming India’s expertise in ship design and construction and Indian Navy’s focus towards Aatmanirbharta. The 110-metre-long vessel, with a displacement of approximately 3800 tons, is powered by two diesel engines and is equipped with state-of-the-art Hydrographic and Oceanographic Survey Equipment.
INS Nirdeshak, the second ship of the Survey Vessel (Large) project, is designed to conduct hydrographic surveys, aid in navigation, and support maritime operations. It represents the reincarnation of the erstwhile Nirdeshak, which served the Indian Navy with distinction for 32 years until its decommissioning on December 19, 2014.
With an endurance of over 25 days at sea and a top speed exceeding 18 knots, INS Nirdeshak is set to enhance India’s maritime capabilities. It will play a pivotal role in mapping the nation’s waters and strengthening India’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean Region through its foreign cooperation surveys.
The Navy also unveiled the crest of the INS Nirdeshak – ‘the Pathfinder of the Seas’ which “symbolises the virtues of India’s maritime sovereignty and technological prowess”. Nirdeshak is a beacon of excellence, precision, and India’s maritime pride. At its heart lies the proud symbol of nation’s territorial integrity serving as the backdrop to a hydrographic survey ship cutting through waves, harnessing the advanced satellite based navigation and communication systems, and state-of-the-art sub-surface sensors to chart the underwater terrain with precision.
With its induction to the Indian Navy’s fleet, trailblazer Nirdeshak is set to strengthen, chart new horizons and uphold India’s maritime legacy.
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