Indian Navy Receives Indigenous INS Samarthak Multi-Purpose Vessel From L&TIndia’s naval support fleet has expanded with the delivery of INS Samarthak, the first domestically built Multi-Purpose Vessel constructed by Larsen & Toubro at its Kattupalli shipyard in Tamil Nadu.The platform forms part of an ₹8.87-billion ($93.4-million) procurement agreement signed in 2022. The contract covers a new generation of naval support vessels and requires substantial indigenous participation. More than 75 percent of the mandated domestic content has been achieved through Indian manpower and locally sourced equipment.INS Samarthak is designed to provide a broad range of support services. The Navy plans to employ it for evaluating advanced weapons, sensors, and unmanned platforms, while also using it for surveillance, offshore patrols, target launch and recovery, torpedo recovery, and humanitarian relief missions.For specialized operations, the vessel is fitted with dynamic positioning technology, allowing precise control during maneuvering. It additionally provides limited hospital support, marine pollution-control equipment, and logistics capabilities for isolated island territories.A second ship is also planned for the class. INS Utkarsh, which was launched in January 2025, has entered sea trials and is moving toward its eventual handover to the Navy.Platform Specifications and ArmamentThe Samarthak-class vessel is 107 meters (351 feet) long with a 19-meter (62-foot) beam. Its accommodation facilities can support over 100 sailors, while its aviation capability allows it to operate a tactical helicopter similar to the HAL Dhruv.The vessel carries a 213mm anti-submarine rocket launcher, 324mm triple torpedo launcher, 533mm twin torpedo launcher, 76mm naval gun, 30mm autocannons, 12.7mm auxiliary weapons, and electronic warfare equipment.Two Cummins QSK95 diesel engines provide propulsion. The ship can reach 15 knots (28 kilometers/17 miles per hour) and has an operational range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,334 kilometers/5,179 miles).
