India marked a major milestone in indigenous naval shipbuilding with the launch of Fleet Support Ship-1 (FSS-1), ‘Surya’, and keel laying of Fleet Support Ship-5 (FSS-5) at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam. The ceremony was held on October 6 in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The Fleet Support Ships are being indigenously designed and built by HSL with more than 82% indigenous content. The 43,500-tonne vessels are intended to provide at-sea replenishment to Indian Navy warships, carrying essential fuel, water, ammunition and stores to enable prolonged operations without returning to harbour.
The induction of these ships will strengthen the Indian Navy’s Blue Water capabilities, operational reach, mobility and endurance, particularly across the Indian Ocean Region. The vessels will also support Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) when required.
The event also saw the inauguration of HSL’s upgraded Slipway-4 and 300-tonne Goliath Crane, enhancing the shipyard’s ability to construct and launch larger and more complex vessels. The Fleet Support Ship programme represents a significant boost to India’s domestic shipbuilding ecosystem and reinforces the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.