INS Samarthak Commissioned: India’s First Major Warship Built by a Private Shipyard
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Samarthak, its first multi-purpose vessel (MPV), at Naval Base Karwar in Karnataka on October 16, 2026. Designed and built by Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the ship is described by India’s Ministry of Defence as the first major warship built by an Indian private shipyard. It carries more than 75% indigenous content and will serve mainly as a trials platform for new Indian-made sensors and weapons, alongside patrol and support roles.
The commissioning
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan presided over the ceremony, with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Karnataka’s labour minister, Ministry of Defence officials and representatives of L&T and equipment makers in attendance, according to the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Samarthak is the lead ship of its class and the first of two MPVs ordered from L&T. Its sister ship, Utkarsh, is in sea trials, the Times of India reported from the ceremony.
One early radio report described Samarthak as the first of four vessels. The Navy’s own pre-commissioning release, L&T’s launch announcements and The Hindu all say two, and that is the figure we use.
What is INS Samarthak?
The Navy calls Samarthak a “utility” ship. Its main job is to give the service a dedicated platform for testing and training with sensors and weapons developed by Indian industry before they go to front-line ships. The Hindu notes this should reduce reliance on foreign facilities for evaluating naval technology.
Roles listed by the Navy
- Maritime surveillance, reconnaissance and offshore patrol
- Low-intensity maritime operations
- Target deployment and trials platform
- Mothership for unmanned and autonomous systems
- Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, salvage, and conversion to a limited hospital ship
Reporting from the ceremony adds that the ship has a dynamic positioning system, can launch and recover surface and aerial targets for gunnery and anti-submarine warfare training, and can operate remotely controlled surface and aerial vehicles.
Key specifications
| Builder | L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli (near Chennai); designed at L&T’s Warship Design Centre, Chennai |
| Length | 107 m (L&T) |
| Beam | 18.6 m (L&T) |
| Displacement | Over 3,750 tonnes (L&T) |
| Maximum speed | 15 knots (reported at the ceremony) |
| Indigenous content | Over 75% (Indian Navy) |
| Launched | October 14, 2024 |
| Commissioned | October 16, 2026 |
The Times of India gave slightly different hull dimensions (106 m by 16.8 m). We use L&T’s published figures.
Why a private shipyard matters
India’s major warships have long come from state-owned yards. L&T’s Kattupalli yard used modular construction and pre-outfitting, which the Navy says shortened the build. The second MPV was launched in January 2025, under three months after the first, according to L&T. The same yard is also building three cadet training ships and other vessels for the Navy, and has carried out repairs on US Navy ships under a Master Ship Repair Agreement.
Türkiye took a similar road. Its largest warship, the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, was built by the private Sedef shipyard in Tuzla in a program run by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), and joined the fleet in 2023. Our guide to how many warships Turkey has covers that fleet in detail.
FAQ
What is INS Samarthak used for?
Mainly for testing and evaluating Indian-built naval sensors and weapons, plus surveillance, patrol, target deployment, unmanned-systems support and disaster relief.
Who built INS Samarthak?
Larsen & Toubro, at its Kattupalli shipyard near Chennai, under the Make in India initiative.
Is it the first warship built by a private Indian shipyard?
India’s Ministry of Defence calls it the first major warship built by an Indian private shipyard.
How many Samarthak-class ships are there?
Two. Samarthak is in service and Utkarsh is in sea trials.
