By A Correspondent

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh launched the first Fleet Support Ship (FSS-1), laid the keel of the fifth Fleet Support Ship (FSS-5), and inaugurated the upgraded Slipway-4 and 300-tonne Goliath Crane at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, on Tuesday (October 06, 2026). These are key milestones in strengthening HSL’s capacity to build larger and more complex ships and advancing India’s indigenous maritime capability, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

At the event, Rajnath Singh said the three milestones had significance beyond the individual achievements. “The launch of FSS-1 is a symbol of achievement, the keel laying of FSS-5 is a symbol of resolve, and the new Slipway is a symbol of our growing capability,” he said, adding that HSL was strengthening not only its shipbuilding capacity but also the foundation of India’s maritime power.

Recalling the launch of the first ship built in independent India ‘Jala Usha’ at Visakhapatnam in 1948, the defence minister highlighted India’s long-standing maritime heritage, noting that the country’s relationship with the sea dates back to ancient times. He described HSL as a custodian of India’s national maritime capability and lauded its contribution to the country’s maritime and defence requirements for more than eight decades. He also highlighted HSL’s ‘Miniratna’ Category-I status, achieved in 2025 after it came under the defence ministry, as an important milestone reflecting its transformation and sustained efforts.

FSS Strengthens Navy’s Reach, Endurance

Highlighting the Fleet Support Ship programme, Rajnath Singh said said the vessels would strengthen the Navy’s reach, endurance and operational effectiveness in the Indian Ocean Region. He noted that a Navy operating for extended periods in distant maritime areas required not only warships but also logistics, maintenance, sustained support, and operational endurance.

Fleet Support Ships provide this essential capability through at-sea replenishment and sustained support to naval operations. The defence minister underscored the launch of FSS-1 as an important step toward strengthening the Navy’s operational reach and endurance, while the keel laying of FSS-5 represented another strong foundation for India’s maritime future.

FSS-1, named ‘Surya’, was launched following the traditional honours performed by Laila Swaminathan, President, Navy Wives Wellness Association (NWWA). The vessel entered the waters of the Bay of Bengal amid cheers from the gathering. Designed and built indigenously by HSL, the Fleet Support Ships will feature enhanced cargo and fluid capacity, onboard first-line maintenance workshops, a helicopter deck for Multi-Role Helicopter operations and self-defence systems.

Enhanced Infra to Support Larger Ship Construction

The upgraded Slipway-4 has been extended and strengthened to enable HSL to build and launch ships of up to 45,000 DWT. Indian company Larsen & Toubro Geostrutures designed and manufactured the 300-tonne Goliath Crane spanning Slipway-3 and Slipway-4, with Konecranes, under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Equipped with PLC controls, Variable Frequency Drives, tandem lifting, remote diagnostics, and condition monitoring, the crane will enable faster and more precise handling of heavier blocks for modern block construction. The new infrastructure will strengthen HSL’s ability to undertake larger and more complex shipbuilding programmes and support modern block construction.

Andhra Pradesh’s Larger Role in India’s Maritime Future

“Self-reliance is an important milestone, but global competitiveness is the next big leap,” Rajnath Singh said, while stressing that Indian shipyards should be able to compete on quality, cost, technology, delivery, and reliability with the world’s leading shipyards. He called for HSL to become more closely integrated with Andhra Pradesh’s wider industrial ecosystem.

The defence minister said the state’s MSMEs could become suppliers, universities could contribute to research and skill development, technology companies could support digital shipbuilding, and startups could develop maritime technologies. He said the objective should be to develop a complete shipbuilding ecosystem around HSL, supported by logistics, port infrastructure, research, technology, and skilled manpower.

Emphasising Visakhapatnam’s strategic importance, Rajnath Singh said the presence of the Eastern Naval Command, Naval Dockyard, HSL, and Visakhapatnam Port provided the city with the foundation for an integrated maritime ecosystem. He called for Visakhapatnam to be developed as a major maritime industrial hub by bringing together naval expertise, shipbuilding capability, engineering talent, port infrastructure and skilled manpower.

He also stressed the need for an integrated national maritime ecosystem involving the Navy, HSL, DRDO, academia, industry, MSMEs, and startups. “India’s maritime strength cannot be built by the Navy or shipyards alone,” he said, calling for greater integration among all stakeholders.

“Our goal should be simple and clear: design better, build faster, deliver on time, operate efficiently, and do maintenance effectively,” Rajnath Singh said, noting that India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem had undergone significant transformation over the past decade, with increasing focus on domestic design and manufacture of sophisticated systems and platforms. He identified timely delivery, productivity, indigenous design capability, supply chain resilience, skilled manpower, capacity and cost competitiveness as key areas that would determine India’s ability to convert its shipbuilding potential into global competitiveness.

Outlining priorities for HSL, he called for timely delivery to become an organisational culture, greater learning from leading global shipyards, stronger indigenous design capability, partnerships with MSMEs and startups, and development of lifecycle capability. He also emphasised the importance of closer coordination between the Navy and shipyards.

Rajnath Singh further said India’s objective should go beyond self-reliance to global competitiveness. Indian shipyards should aspire to serve friendly nations and international markets, and develop a global presence in maritime technology, ship repair and maintenance services, and engineering expertise.

Indian Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan; Andhra Pradesh Minister of Roads, Building, Infrastructure & Development Janardhan Reddy; Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament Sribharat Mathukumilli; Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar; Eastern Naval Commander Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Coast Guard Eastern Seaboard Additional Director General Donny Michael, and HSL Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral C Raghuram (Retd) witnessed the event.

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