The Indian Navy has launched its first indigenous multipurpose vessel, the Samarthak, at L&T’s Kattupalli facility.
Samarthak is the first out of two planned vessels procured under a contract inked in March 2022 between the defense ministry and the Indian L&T shipbuilding company.
The name means “supporter” as it’s designed for varied roles, such as towing ships, target launching and recovery, uncrewed autonomous vehicle operation, and as a trial platform for indigenous weapons and sensors.
It has a top speed of 15 knots (17 miles/28 kilometers per hour) and is 106 meters (347 feet) long and 16.8 (55 feet) wide.
The launching ceremony was presided over by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi and the ship was launched by the President of the Navy Welfare and Wellness Association Shashi Tripathi.
The Samarthak is among the latest domestically produced platforms after the country developed an algorithm-based camouflage tech that makes military assets appear as decoys, in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat or “self-reliant India” and “Make In India” initiatives.