India commissions first home‑built multi‑role warship INS Samarthak

India’s Navy put into service INS Samarthak, its first domestically built multi‑purpose warship, on 16 October at the naval base in Karwar. Vice‑President C. P. Radhakrishnan led the commissioning ceremony, noting that more than three‑quarters of the ship’s material is of Indian origin. He said the vessel showcases the nation’s growing industrial, technological and ship‑building strength and backs the goals of Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Radhakrishnan recalled historic naval powers such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Chola empire, linking their legacy to today’s maritime ambitions. He praised the Navy for protecting India’s waters, fighting piracy, evacuating citizens from conflict zones and delivering disaster relief. The new ship will act as a test bed for home‑grown weapons, sensors and other next‑generation systems. It can also perform surveillance, reconnaissance, offshore patrolling, unmanned‑system missions and humanitarian aid tasks. Designed and constructed by Larsen & Toubro Shipyard, INS Samarthak is the first of two similar vessels and features modular construction and pre‑outfitting to speed up building. The modular approach cut the build schedule by several months compared with traditional methods. Commander Sushil Kumar Singh will command the ship, overseeing its operational trials. The Vice‑President highlighted Karwar’s deep natural harbour and its closeness to the Arabian Sea as strategic advantages, and pointed to Project Seabird’s modern facilities that will host more ships and submarines while spurring regional growth. He stressed the need for joint work among the Navy, defence public‑sector units, private shipyards, DRDO, universities, SMEs and start‑ups, and thanked the L&T team and the shipyard staff for their effort. Senior officials present included Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Western Naval Command chief Vice‑Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Vice‑Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Rear‑Admiral Vikram Menon and Rear‑Admiral G. K. Harish of L&T.## Context The commissioning fits into India’s wider push for self‑reliant defence production, a policy that has recently delivered several indigenous platforms across the armed forces.