On 14 August 2025, the Indian Navy (IN) received ‘Indian Naval Ship(INS) Ikshak (Guide) (Yard 3027)’, the 3rd in a series of 4 Survey Vessel (Large) (SVL) ships, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), a defence Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), in Kolkata, West Bengal(WB).
Exam Hints:
- Event: Indian Navy received INS Ikshak (Guide) (Yard 3027)
- Series: 3rd of 4 Survey Vessel (Large) (SVL) ships
- Built by: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE)
- Designer: Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB)
- Displacement: 3,400 tons; Length: 110 m; Speed: >18 knots
- Significance:
- 102nd ship designed by WDB
- 75th warship delivered to IN by GRSE
- First SVL with accommodation for women officers & sailors
- Indigenous Content: 80%
About INS Ikshak:
Background: The contract for 4 SVLs was signed in 2018. The 1st ship of the class, INS Sandhayak, was commissioned in February 2024, followed by INS Nirdeshak in December 2024.
- The SVL ships are designed and built following the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) by M/s GRSE, Kolkata.
Significance: Built under the supervision of the Warship Overseeing Team (WOT) (Kolkata), Ikshak is the 102nd ship designed by the IN’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB).
- Ikshak is the first SVL Ship to be delivered with accommodation for women officers and sailors.
- The Ikshak is the 802nd ship and the 113th warship to be built by GRSE.
- It is the 75th warship handed over to the IN by GRSE, the only Indian shipyard to achieve this milestone.
- Since 1961, GRSE has built 74 more warships, supporting the Navy’s transformation from a ‘buyer’ to a ‘builder’, in line with the Government of India’s (GoI) Atmanirbharta policy.
Features: With a displacement of about 3,400 tons and an overall length of 110 meters (m), Ikshak is fitted with state-of-the-art hydrographic equipment, such as:
- Data Acquisition and Processing System (DAPS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) long-range positioning systems, Digital Side Scan Sonar (DSSS), etc.
- It is powered by 2 marine diesel engines capable of speeds exceeding 18 knots. The engines are combined with fixed-pitch propellers and fitted with bow and stern thrusters for precise manoeuvring.
Role and Capabilities: The SVLs of this class are intended for comprehensive coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys, including port and harbour approaches, and the determination of navigational channels/routes.
- In addition, these Sandhayak-class of SVLs can undertake surveys of maritime limits and collect oceanographic and geophysical data for both defence and civil applications.
- These ships can each carry a helicopter, operate in low-intensity combat and function as hospital ships.
- They can also be used for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
Indigenous Content:Ikshak has an indigenous content of over 80% by cost, aligned with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative.
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Cmde PR Hari
Headquarters – Kolkata (West Bengal, WB)
Established -1884
