On Navy Day, India's sea force gets INS Sandhayak

Kolkata: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) delivered INS Sandhayak, the largest survey vessel ever built in India and first in the series of four Survey Vessels (Large) or SVLs being built by it, to the Indian Navy on the occasion of the Navy Day.

The protocol of delivery and acceptance was signed between GRSE Chairman & Managing Director Commodore PR Hari (Retd.) and Commanding Officer of INS Sandhayak Cmde R M Thomas on Monday.

The 110-metre-long warship is the lead vessel in a series of four SVLs and the reincarnation of another ship by that name. The previous warship, also a survey vessel, was commissioned into the Navy in 1981 and decommissioned in 2021.

The new INS Sandhayak and the remaining ships of the series are far more advanced than their predecessors. These warships are capable of full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic survey of port and harbour approaches and determination of navigation channels and routes.

They can also undertake surveys of maritime limits and collection of oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications and carry a helicopter each, participate in low-intensity combat and function as hospital ships. They can also be used for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

Propelled by two marine diesel engines combined with fixed-pitch propellers and fitted with bow and stern thrusters to help the ships maneuver at low speeds during surveys, they are ideally suited to carry out their designated operations.

Cmde Hari said, “We are proud to deliver this ship on the Navy Day and we are confident to deliver the balance three ships of the SVL project as per the committed timelines.”