Offshore patrol vessel ‘Shreyas’
Why in News?
The Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) ‘Shreyas’ (Yard 3040) is recently successfully launched for the Indian Navy on October 10, 2026, at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) yard in Kolkata.
Background and Project Details
- The NGOPV Programme: In March 2023, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract for 11 Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels at a combined cost of approximately ₹9,781 crore.
- Shipyard Division: The 11-ship project is being concurrently executed across two Defence Public Sector shipyards—four vessels are being built by GRSE (Kolkata) and the remaining seven are being built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).
- Naming Heritage: Following the Indian Navy's tradition of naming ships after cultural heritage, the name 'Shreyas' is derived from Sanskrit, meaning 'Best' or 'Most Excellent'.
Technical Specifications & Features
- Dimensions: The vessel measures approximately 113 metres in length and 14.6 metres in width.
- Displacement: It has a total displacement of 3,000 tonnes, making these next-gen ships significantly larger and more potent than existing OPVs.
- Speed: The warship is capable of achieving top speeds of up to 23 knots.
- Endurance & Range: It features a massive operational endurance of 8,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 14 knots.
Operational Capabilities & Missions
'Shreyas' and its sister ships are custom-designed for multi-domain maritime operations to safeguard India's extensive coastline and ocean assets, specifically targeting:
'Shreyas' and its sister ships are custom-designed for multi-domain maritime operations to safeguard India's extensive coastline and ocean assets, specifically targeting:
- Maritime Surveillance & Coastal Defence: Monitoring exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and tracking threat vectors.
- Protection of Offshore Assets: Guarding critical infrastructure like oil rigs and offshore platforms.
- Anti-Piracy & Counter-Infiltration: Securing Sea lines of communication against pirate attacks and illicit entry.
- HADR & Search and Rescue (SAR): Spearheading Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations during natural calamities.
- Special Operations & Mine Warfare: Executing highly specialized tasks, including maritime interdiction, fleet maintenance, and out-of-area contingency deployments.
