SYLLABUS

GS- 3: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Context: The Indian Navy commissioned INS Samarthak, an indigenously built multi-purpose vessel, at Karwar, Karnataka, strengthening India’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities and defence self-reliance.

About INS Samarthak

• Type: Indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV), designed primarily as a platform for trials and evaluation.

• Builder: Larsen & Toubro (L&T), at its Kattupalli shipyard in Tamil Nadu.

• Indigenous content: Over 75%, reflecting the growing role of India’s private shipbuilding industry in developing platforms for the armed forces.

• Dimensions and displacement: Approximately 106 metres long, with a beam of 16.8 metres; displacement of 3,750 tonnes.

• Maximum speed: 15 knots (approximately 27 km/h).

• Key capabilities:

• Trials and evaluation: Tests and evaluates indigenous weapons, radars, sensors and other naval systems before their wider operational deployment.
• Dynamic Positioning System: Enables the vessel to maintain a precise position at sea during specialised operations.
• Target deployment: Can launch and recover surface and aerial targets for gunnery and anti-submarine warfare training.
• Unmanned systems: Functions as a mothership for deploying and operating unmanned and autonomous surface and aerial vehicles.
• Multiple operational roles: Undertakes maritime surveillance and reconnaissance, offshore patrolling, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), towing and salvage operations.
• Emergency response: Supports Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), firefighting, medical assistance and non-combatant evacuation missions. It can be converted into a limited-capacity hospital vessel.

• Design and construction: Incorporates modular construction and pre-outfitting techniques to optimise shipbuilding and reduce construction timelines.

• Crest and motto: The crest features an Indian elephant emerging from the waves, symbolising strength, intelligence and agility. Its motto is “Victory is Our Sole Aim.”

Significance of This Achievement

• Defence self-reliance: With over 75% indigenous content, the vessel advances the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and reduces dependence on foreign facilities for testing naval technologies.

• Indigenous technology development: Provides a dedicated platform to test and evaluate next-generation weapons, sensors and emerging technologies under operational maritime conditions, helping translate domestic innovation into deployable capabilities.

• Strengthening private-sector participation: Highlights the growing contribution of private shipyards, micro, small and medium enterprises, equipment manufacturers and ancillary industries to India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.

• Enhanced maritime security: Its multi-role capabilities support surveillance, reconnaissance, patrolling, unmanned-system operations and responses to conventional and non-traditional maritime threats in the Indian Ocean Region.

• Industrial and strategic benefits: Modular construction and pre-outfitting help improve shipbuilding efficiency, while the project contributes to employment generation, domestic industrial capability development and India’s strategic autonomy.