Rajnath Singh launches Surya to strengthen navy reach

VISAKHAPATNAM Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched Surya, India’s first indigenous fleet support ship, at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd in Visakhapatnam, marking a major step in a ₹19,000-crore programme to strengthen the Navy’s reach and endurance. Surya is the first of five fleet support ships being built for the Navy. Measuring 225 metres in length and 32 metres in width, the vessels will replenish warships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition and stores, allowing naval units to remain deployed for longer periods without returning to harbour. Hindustan Shipyard is expected to deliver Surya next year, followed by the remaining ships at intervals of about 10 months. Singh also laid the keel of the fifth fleet support ship and inaugurated an upgraded slipway and a 300-tonne Goliath crane at the public sector shipyard. The upgraded infrastructure will allow the yard to build and launch larger and more complex vessels, with the strengthened slipway capable of handling ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes. “India needs strong maritime capability. Our goal is to go beyond self-reliance and become a global maritime power,” Singh said. He said the launch of Surya represented an achievement, while the keel laying and new infrastructure reflected growing capability. The Navy currently operates four fleet support ships commissioned between 1996 and 2011 and requires additional vessels as its fleet expands and responsibilities in the Indian Ocean region increase. Singh said self-reliance was an important milestone but global competitiveness would be the next major goal. The Navy is working towards full self-reliance by 2047. The new facilities at Hindustan Shipyard are expected to support faster construction, modern block handling and improved shipbuilding capacity for India’s expanding maritime security requirements.