The keel laying ceremony for Yard 3040, the fourth Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), took place in Kolkata on April 24, 2025.
Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, attended the event as the Chief Guest. GRSE Chairman and Managing Director, Commodore PR Hari (Retd), and other senior officials from the Indian Navy and GRSE were also present.
The ceremony represents a key step in the construction of the NGOPV, part of a broader initiative to strengthen India’s domestic shipbuilding industry.
On March 30, 2023, contracts were signed for the indigenous design and construction of eleven NGOPVs. Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) will build seven vessels as the lead shipyard, while GRSE will construct four vessels as the follow-up shipyard.
Each vessel will have an approximate displacement of 3,000 tonnes and is intended for a range of roles, including coastal defense, surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, and antipiracy operations.
The NGOPV project aligns with national initiatives such as ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India,’ aimed at enhancing self-reliance and boosting domestic manufacturing in the defense sector.