The Ministry of Defence announced on 27 August 2026 that the Indian Navy has received its first domestically built Multi-Purpose Vessel, named Samarthak. The ship was constructed by Larsen and Toubro at its Kattupalli shipyard and will serve multiple operational roles across the Navy’s missions.
What the vessel can do
Samarthak has been designed to handle a variety of maritime tasks. These include watching over and gathering information about activity at sea, carrying out offshore patrol duties, and providing support during humanitarian relief and disaster response operations. The vessel functions as a flexible platform that can be adapted to test and evaluate new naval capabilities.
More than 75 percent of the ship’s construction involves materials and components made in India. The name Samarthak means “The Proponent” and reflects the ship’s role as a capable tool for executing different types of naval operations rather than being limited to a single purpose.
What this means for you
This delivery marks progress in India’s effort to build its defence equipment domestically rather than relying on imports. The ship represents the Navy’s growing ability to design and construct its own vessels, which strengthens the country’s independence in naval defence. For citizens concerned with national security and self-reliance in defence manufacturing, this demonstrates a step forward in the government’s broader plan to create a self-dependent defence industrial base.