By A Correspondent

Kolkata: India’s state-run defence shipyard, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, on Sep. 9, 2026, launched the Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) into the waters, ahead of its commissioning for the government-run National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The ORV, christened ‘Sagar Manthan’, would enable geophysical seismic surveys in the coastal regions of India and in deep waters at a maximum depth of six kilometers, once commissioned.

India’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, was the chief guest during the ORV launch. Earth Sciences Ministry Secretary Dr Srinivasa Kumar Tummala witnessed the launch event at GRSE’s Rishi Bankim Shipyard in Kolkata.

The milestone came barely five months after the keel-laying for the ORV in an indication of GRSE’s capability to achieve shipbuilding ahead of contracted schedules, according to the defence public sector shipyard’s statement issued on the occasion. As is the custom, Dr Jitendra Singh’s wife Manju Singh christened the ORV, while Dr Tummala’s wife Kavita Ellanti pressed the trigger to launch the vessel into the waters.

“The construction of the ORV marks a major boost to the country’s ‘Atmanirbharta‘ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives (of the national government), reflecting India’s growing capabilities in shipbuilding and advanced marine engineering for ocean research and exploration,” the statement said. The 89.50-metre-long and 18.80-metre-wide ORV will have a gross tonnage of 5,900 tons and its speed will be 14 knots at 90% maximum continuous rating (MCR).

“Once delivered, the ORV will be capable of Underway Swath Multibeam as well as Geophysical Seismic Surveys in coastal seas and deep waters at a maximum depth of 6 (six) km,” GRSE said. The vessel will also be able to carry out Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) profiling and water sampling operations such as biological sampling using vertical and horizontal methods through various nets.

“The research vessel will also effectively carry out surface and deep-sea mooring and data buoy operations, seabed sampling using corers and grabs as well as rock dredging with chain bag dredges,” the statement said. The vessel will also undertake underway atmospheric observations, surface meteorological and current measurements, and collect upper air data, it added.

The data collected by the vessel’s onboard scientific instruments would enable scientists to carry out analytical work and data processing on board. The ship will also provide training and education to scientists and technicians.

GRSE’s Capabilities to Build Survey Ships

GRSE has the necessary expertise in the field of survey vessels and has been building them for the Indian Navy for nearly four decades now. The shipyard delivered survey ships to the Navy in the 1980s. It also built and delivered the Marine Acoustic Research Vessel, INS Sagardhwani, to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) in 1994. The ship is still in service and recently underwent a refit at GRSE.

GRSE has also completed the delivery of four Survey Vessels (Large) to the Navy. The last of these, Sanshodhak, was delivered on March 30, 2026. These are the largest survey vessels to have been built in India and operated by the Navy.

The shipyard is now building nine warships, including an advanced guided missile frigate under the Navy’s Project 17A, four ASW-SWCs and four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels. Apart from these, GRSE is building 32 other maritime platforms, including 13 for export.

GRSE is also in the advanced stages of concluding a prestigious contract for the construction of five Next Generation Corvettes for the Navy. Apart from the ORV for NCPOR, the shipyard is also building an Acoustic Research Ship (ARS) for NPOL and two Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs) for the Geological Survey of India.

In his remarks, Dr Jitendra Singh said ORV Sagar Mantha, being built at GRSE, represented the growing strength of India’s indigenous shipbuilding, engineering and scientific capabilities. Dr Tummala said he was happy to be at the launch of a GRSE-built ORV for his ministry’s institution, as part of the government’s important ‘Deep Ocean Mission’. He urged NCPOR and GRSE to keep up the pace and assured support.

“I believe that GRSE epitomizes Atmanirbharta in warship building and now, with four specialised state-of-the-art research vessels being built by GRSE, I would like to rephrase my statement: GRSE epitomizes Atmanirbharta in design and construction of warships and research vessels,” GRSE Chairman and Managing Director Commodore PR Hari (Retired) said.

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