GRSE delivers INS Nirdeshak to Indian Navy

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

This is the 110th warship to be delivered by the defence 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 relationship between GRSE and the Indian Navy goes back 63 years to 1961 when the shipyard delivered the first indigenously built warship INS Ajay. Since then, GRSE has delivered 71 more warships to the Indian Navy, which is a record. The others have gone to the Indian Coast Guard. No other shipyard in the country has delivered so many warships to the country’s maritime security forces.

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 ships can carry a helicopter each, participate in low-intensity combat and function as hospital ships. They can also be used for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.

Propelled by two marine diesel engines combined with fixed-pitch propellers and fitted with bow and stern thrusters to help the ships manoeuvre at low speeds during surveys, they are ideally suited to carry out their designated operations.

Fully designed by GRSE’s Design Team to meet the requirements of the Indian Navy, INS Nirdeshak was built using ‘Integrated Construction’ technology. This was in compliance with applicable provisions and regulations of the Classification Society (IRS).

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 metres long and served with glory for over 32 years before being decommissioned.

Apart from her normal duties, she also undertook hydrographic surveys in Mauritius and the Seychelles as per agreements between these countries and India. She also carried out a survey off the Dwarka coast, creating a 3D model of the ocean floor that archaeologists used to unearth the lost city. She also participated in anti-piracy operations off the Seychelles coast and helped in the arrest of nine pirates who were trying to hijack an Italian cruise liner.

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”.

At the moment, GRSE is building 17 more warships for the Indian Navy, including three 17A Advanced Frigates, eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft and four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels.