First indigenously designed and constructed multi-purpose vessel (MPV) by the L&T for the Indian Navy was launched at the L&T shipyard, Kattupalli in Tamil Nadu on October 14, 2024.
The vessel has been named ‘Samarthak,’ meaning ‘Supporter,’ reflecting its intended multi-dimensional role.
The launch is significant as the MVP will be utilized for enhancing Indian Navy’s Bluewater capabilities, providing the forward deployed units the necessary mobility, flexibility and versatility in demonstrating poise, presence and reach to deliver the desired effects at the place and time of its choice.
The Multi Purpose Vessels can achieve a maximum speed of 15 knots and are 106 m long and 16.8 wide.
This is the first ship of the two multi-purpose vessel project being constructed by L&T Shipyard for the Indian Navy.
The launch ceremony for the vessel was presided over by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff. Tripathi marked the event as an ‘important day’ as he said that as the name Samarthak suggests the multipurpose vessels focuses on providing flexibility and mobility to the Navy’s frontline combatants so that their personnel can demonstrate the poise, power, and reach in the force’s area of interest.
The chief said that these are vessels which are almost close to 3,600 tons will be used for a large number of activities, which would include trials and testing of indigenous weapons, sensors, and equipment, for which sometimes we were using the frontline combatants.
The vessels are also to be used for target towing, whether it is surface or subsurface and as a launch platform or mothership for unmanned or uncrewed vessels.
The launch of this ship by a Private Indian Shipyard is also being seen as another milestone in indigenous shipbuilding and is in consonance with Government of India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and make in India.
It was in March last year when the keel laying ceremony of the two ships of the multi-purpose vessel (MPV) project was held at L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu.
The ceremony was also presided by Vice Adm Sandeep Naithani, Chief of Materiel, in the presence of Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, CWP&A, Ashok Khetan, Head Shipbuilding Business, L&T, and other senior officials from Indian Navy and L&T.
