The keel for Indian Navy’s first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) was laid at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) on 18 September 2026, marking a major milestone in the Navy’s ongoing fleet modernisation.
Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, vice admiral Sanjay Sadhu, presided over the keel laying ceremony, which was attended by senior representatives from both the Indian Navy and the shipyard.
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This follows the steel cutting of the NGMV, which took place at Cochin Shipyard Limited in December 2024.
The NGMV programme, awarded to CSL under a contract worth Rs98.04bn ($1.02bn) signed in March 2023, involves the construction of six advanced missile vessels.
The first ship is scheduled for delivery in March 2027, with the remaining five to follow in the ensuing years, according to the Navy.
The keel laying of the first vessel took place just one day after steel cutting for the second NGMV, both at the Kochi facility.
These vessels are designed for high speeds of up to 33 knots and carry an array of weaponry, sensors, and control systems.
Their primary aim is to boost offensive capabilities against warships, merchant vessels, and land targets, with secondary roles in local naval defence and the safeguarding of offshore development areas.
Advanced systems for propulsion, navigation, and platform management have been specified as part of the vessels’ integrated architecture.
Crewed by 80 personnel, each NGMV will be equipped with surface-to-surface missile systems, anti-missile defences, and air surveillance and fire control radars.
The ships are intended to conduct maritime strike and anti-surface warfare operations and to support India’s sea denial strategies, especially at strategic choke points.
According to the Ministry of Defence Navy, the NGMV project underscores expanding indigenous maritime capabilities, with most critical equipment being domestically developed. This initiative is aligned with the Indian government’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” and “Make in India” policies.
In April this year, India ordered 18 large Kamewa waterjets from Kongsberg Maritime for the Indian Navy’s NGMV programme.
