The keel laying ceremony of the first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) for the Indian Navy was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, on September 18.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, was the chief guest at the ceremony. Senior officials from the Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard Limited were also present.
The contract for construction of the Next Generation Missile Vessels was concluded with Cochin Shipyard Limited in March 2023.
The NGMVs will be equipped with advanced weapons and sensor systems, which are expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s combat capabilities.
The vessels are being developed as part of efforts to strengthen the Navy as a future-ready and combat-ready force capable of operating effectively in the complex maritime environment of the Indian Ocean Region.
The project also reflects the growing capabilities of India’s indigenous defence industry. According to the Ministry of Defence, all major role-defining equipment for the vessels is being indigenously developed and manufactured.
The construction of the NGMVs is in line with the government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Make for the World, while strengthening domestic shipbuilding and defence manufacturing capabilities.
