The vessel, christened INS Utkarsh, was launched by Dr Sushmita Misra Singh, the wife of Union Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. Singh, Vice Admiral B Sivakumar (Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition), Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi (Assistant Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition), and senior leaders of L&T were present.

Following an accelerated production schedule, the launch of INS Utkarsh comes within three months of the launch of the first MPV INS Samarthak. The first vessel is now being readied for undergoing tests and trials before its delivery to the Indian Navy.

The MPVs are highly specialized, and play multiple roles, including serving as trial platforms, for the development of next-generation weapons and sensors. They will perform maritime surveillance, humanitarian assistance, and combat sea pollution, besides taking up launch and recovery of surface and aerial assets, etc.

The MPVs are 107m long, and 18.6m wide with a displacement of over 3,750 tonnes. In keeping with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission and Make in India initiative, the design engineering of the MPVs has been undertaken at L&T’s in-house Warship Design Centre at Chennai and the construction is accomplished at L&T’s Katupalli Shipyard.

Commenting on the occasion, A T Ramchandani, Senior Vice President & Head – L&T Precision Engineering & Systems, said: “The successful launch of the second MPV ahead of schedule underscores L&T’s unwavering commitment to bolster India’s national security. With our unmatched in-house design expertise and execution prowess, we are committed to providing cutting-edge defense platforms to support the Indian Navy’s fleet expansion needs.

L&T’s Kattupalli Shipyard is one of the most advanced shipbuilding and ship repair facilities in India and is equipped with ship-lift, dry, and wet berths to concurrently undertake new shipbuilding and repairs.

Besides the two MPVs, L&T is also constructing three Cadet Training Ships and six other defense vessels for the Indian Navy on a public-private partnership model. This apart, the repair of the Indian naval ship INS Tir is also currently underway at the Kattupalli Shipyard.

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KOCHI, KERALA: On January 17, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three major infrastructure projects worth over Rs. 4,000 crores in Kochi, Kerala. The projects include the New Dry Dock (NDD) at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) of CSL, and the LPG Import Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited at Puthuvypeen, Kochi.

The Prime Minister emphasized the role of every state in making India ‘Viksit Bharat’ during the Amrit Kaal. He highlighted the reforms made in the ports, shipping, and waterways sector in the last 10 years, which have brought new investments in India’s ports and created new employment opportunities. He also mentioned the increase in port capacity, investment in port infrastructure, and improved connectivity of ports under the Sagarmala Project.

The New Dry Dock, built at a cost of about Rs. 1,800 crores at the existing premises of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, is a flagship project reflecting New India’s engineering prowess. The International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) project, built at a cost of about Rs. 970 crores, has a ship lift system with a capacity of 6000T, a transfer system, six workstations, and a berth of approximately 1,400 meters. The Indian Oil’s LPG Import Terminal at Puthuvypeen, Kochi, built at the cost of about Rs. 1,236 crores, boasts state-of-the-art facilities.

The commissioning of these three projects will boost the nation’s shipbuilding and repair capacities and the growth of energy infrastructure, including ancillary industries. The projects will also boost EXIM Trade, reduce logistics costs, drive economic growth, build self-reliance, and create numerous domestic and international business opportunities.

The inauguration of these infrastructure projects is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to transform India’s ports, shipping, and waterways sector, and build capacity and self-sufficiency in it.

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