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GRSE launches first of four IN survey vessels

7th December 2021 - 12:50 GMT | by Shephard News Team

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INS Sandhayak was launched on 5 December 2021. (Photo: GRSE)

Large survey ships for the Indian Navy will include underwater autonomous systems.

Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) on 5 December launched the first of four large survey vessels it is under contract to build for the Indian Navy (IN).

The IN will receive the 3,300t ship (INS Sandhayak) in 2022. It features ‘over 80% indigenous content by cost’, said Indian Defence Minister Ajay Bhatt.

GRSE stated in a press release that Sandhayak is equipped with autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles, 11m-long survey boats and data acquisition systems to collect and analyse oceanographic and geophysical data in the Indian Ocean, including data for defence applications.

The vessel is powered by two marine diesel engines combined with fixed pitch propellers. There are also bow and stern thrusters for low-speed manoeuvres.

The Indian MoD awarded GRSE an INR2,435 crore ($300 million) contract in October 2018 for four survey ships.

GRSE is implementing other shipbuilding programmes for the IN, including three advanced frigates under Project 17A and eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft.