New Delhi, 06 October (H.S.): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched the first Fleet Support Ship (FSS), ‘Surya’, at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam. He also laid the keel of the second Fleet Support Ship, FSS-5, and inaugurated the upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath crane.

The milestones mark a significant step towards strengthening India’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities and enhancing the operational reach and endurance of the Indian Navy. The Defence Minister called for Visakhapatnam to be developed as a major maritime industrial hub and urged Indian shipyards to move beyond self-reliance towards greater global competitiveness.

Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh said the significance of the three milestones extended far beyond their individual achievements. Hindustan Shipyard Limited was not only strengthening its shipbuilding capabilities but also reinforcing the foundation of India’s maritime power.

Recalling the launch of ‘Jala Usha’, the first ship built in independent India, in Visakhapatnam in 1948, Singh highlighted the country’s long maritime heritage and said India’s relationship with the sea dated back to ancient times. He also commended the shipyard’s contribution to the country’s maritime and defence requirements over more than eight decades.

Speaking about the Fleet Support Ship programme, the Defence Minister said the vessels would strengthen the Navy’s reach, capability and operational impact across the Indian Ocean Region. He said a navy operating for extended periods in distant maritime areas required not only warships but also logistics, maintenance, sustained support and operational endurance.

Fleet Support Ships provide these essential capabilities by replenishing supplies at sea and ensuring continuous logistical support for naval operations. Singh described the launch of ‘Surya’ as an important step towards enhancing the Navy’s operational reach and capability, while the keel-laying ceremony for FSS-5 represented another firm foundation for India’s maritime future.

The Defence Minister said that India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem had undergone a major transformation over the past decade, with greater emphasis on the domestic design and manufacture of advanced systems and platforms.

He identified timely delivery, productivity, indigenous design capabilities, resilient supply chains, skilled manpower, capacity enhancement and cost competitiveness as key areas that would determine India’s ability to transform its shipbuilding capabilities into globally competitive strengths.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Roads, Buildings, Infrastructure and Development Janardhan Reddy, Visakhapatnam MP Sri Bharat Mathukumilli, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Coast Guard Commander, Eastern Seaboard, Additional Director General Donny Michael, Hindustan Shipyard Limited Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral C. Raghuram (Retd.) and senior officials from the Indian Navy and Ministry of Defence attended the event.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar