Kolkata/Kochi (November 6, 2025): Yet another feather was added to the cap of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd on Thursday, November 6, 2025, when INS Ikshak, a Survey Vessel Large (SVL) built by the shipyard, was commissioned into the Navy.
The Chief Guest at the occasion was Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, PVSM, AVSM, NM, Chief of The Naval Staff. Among the others present were Vice Admiral Samir Sameer Saxena, AVSM, NM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, senior officials from GRSE & Indian Navy, members from the Classification Societies and other organisations.
Ikshak – the name stands for ‘Guide’ – is the third in a series of four SVLs being built by the shipyard. It was delivered to the Navy on August 14th, 2025. The fourth ship is currently being outfitted.
The second ship of this class, INS Nirdeshak, was delivered on October 8th 2024, while the first of class – INS Sandhayak was handed over to the Navy on December 4th, 2023.
The commissioning of INS Ikshak on 6th November 2025 comes close on the heels of INS Androth, an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft built by GRSE, which was commissioned on 6th October 2025. Earlier this year, the advanced guided missile frigate INS Himgiri, also built by GRSE, was commissioned on 26th August 2025, marking a remarkable year of achievements for the shipyard.
Achieving the commissioning of three significant warships — INS Himgiri, INS Androth, and INS Ikshak — in a little over two months is a milestone accomplishment that underscores GRSE’s production efficiency and commitment to excellence.
The Sandhayak-class of Survey Vessels (Large), or SVLs, including the INS Ikshak, are also the largest such platforms to be built in India and operated by the Navy.
INS Ikshak is the 803rd ship and the 114th warship built by GRSE. It is also the 76th warship to be delivered to the Navy. No other shipyard in India has achieved this feat.
The relationship between GRSE and the Navy goes back 64 years to 1961 when the shipyard delivered the first indigenous warship INS Ajay. Since then, 75 more warships have been added to the list, marking the transition from Buyer’s Navy to Builder’s Navy. This is in keeping with the Government’s Atmanirbharta policy.
The 110-metre-long INS Ikshak will join INS Sandhayak and INS Nirdeshak and keep the Navy supplied with vital survey data which is very crucial for operational purposes. The maps and charts prepared on the basis of this survey data are also used by commercial shipping.
With advanced equipment on board, the SVLs of this class are capable of full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic survey of port and harbour approaches as well as the determination of navigation channels and routes. In addition, these Sandhayak-class of SVLs can undertake surveys of maritime limits and collect oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications, adding muscle to India’s maritime capabilities.
These ships can each carry a helicopter, participate in low-intensity combat and function as hospital ships. They can also be used for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
Propelled by two marine diesel engines combined with fixed-pitch propellers and fitted with bow and stern thrusters to help the ships manoeuvre at low speeds during surveys, they are ideally suited to carry out their designated operations. Fully designed by GRSE to meet the requirements of the Indian Navy, Ikshak was built using ‘Integrated Construction’ technology. This is in compliance with applicable provisions and regulations of the Classification Society (IRS).
Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, mentioned that the Indian Navy’s survey ships fulfil a mission that is fundamental to the maritime world, both naval and commercial. “They make the seas knowable, navigable, and safe. In a sense, they reduce our known unknowns, mile after mile, with every survey they undertake”, he said.
The Chief of the Naval Staff further congratulated the CMD of GRSE, Cmde Hari, his entire management team, and all the workers of GRSE, who came together to not just build a world-class ship but also to set a new benchmark of excellence in Indian shipbuilding.
“To our designers, overseers, and all the stakeholders involved in the construction and trials of Ikshak, your seamless coordination, adherence to standards, and sustained pursuit of excellence have contributed immeasurably to the ship’s timely and quality construction”, the Chief of Naval Staff added.
“Commissioning of Ikshak underscores the capability of GRSE to build advanced, specialised Survey & Research Vessels. As on date, we are the only Indian Shipyard building such vessels ranging from Advanced Hydrographic Survey, Ocean Research, Coastal Research & Acoustic Research Ships,” Cmde Hari said.
GRSE is now building 13 more warships for the Navy, including two P17A Advanced Guided Missile Frigates, one SVL, six Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts and four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels. Further, contract for five Next Generation Corvettes, for which GRSE emerged the lowest bidder, is expected to be concluded soon.
