Defence Ministry signs Rs.887 crore contract with L&T for two multi-purpose vessels for the Navy

The two vessels will perform multi-role support functions, such as maritime surveillance and patrol, launch and recovery of torpedoes, and operation of various types of aerial, surface and underwater targets for gunnery anti-submarine warfare firing exercises.

At the signing of the contract between the Indian Navy and L&T.

The Defence Ministry has inked an agreement with private sector defence major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for the acquisition of two multi-purpose vessels (MPVs). The Rs.887 crore contract is an acquisition under the "Buy-Indian" category. The Ministry is hoping that the two vessels will be flag bearers of its "Make in India, Make for the World" initiatives.

The MPVs will be a first of their kind platform, constructed to provide a cost-effective solution to meet a plethora of requirements of the Indian Navy. The two vessels will perform multi-role support functions, such as maritime surveillance and patrol, launch and recovery of torpedoes, and operation of various types of aerial, surface and underwater targets for gunnery anti-submarine warfare firing exercises.

These vessels would be capable of towing ships and rendering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) support with limited hospital ship capability.

According to a spokesperson for the Ministry, the two vessels will also act as trial platforms for naval weapons and sensors under development, as a support platform for the Navy’s Immediate Support Vessel squadron and salvage operations, and further to provide logistics support for India’s far-flung island territories.

The two vessels are to be built at L&T’s shipyard at Kattupally (Chennai), and delivery of the vessels is scheduled to commence from May 2025. A majority of the equipment and systems on board the two vessels will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers.