Karwar (Karnataka), Oct 16 (PTI) India’s growing indigenous shipbuilding capabilities and technological advancements would strengthen the Navy’s ability to meet emerging maritime security challenges, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan said on Friday, underscoring that AI and unmanned systems are transforming naval warfare.
He was giving an address after the indigenous multi-purpose vessel INS Samarthak was commissioned into the Indian Navy in Karwar, Karnataka. Built by Larsen and Toubro at its Kattupalli shipyard in Tamil Nadu, Samarthak has more than 75 per cent indigenous content.
Radhakrishnan said the warship would serve as a dedicated platform for trials and evaluation of next-generation weapons, sensors and emerging technologies, helping the Navy translate indigenous innovations into operational capabilities.
Maritime technology was changing rapidly, with autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, advanced sensors, artificial intelligence and network-centric operations transforming naval warfare and maritime security, he said.
“A versatile platform dedicated to trials and evaluation will help the Navy adapt faster and translate indigenous innovation into operational capabilities,” he said.
INS Samarthak will support maritime surveillance, offshore patrolling, launch and recovery of targets, operations involving unmanned systems, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, besides meeting other emerging naval requirements, said officials.
The Vice President said the commissioning of the vessel reflected India’s growing confidence in its industrial, technological and shipbuilding capabilities.
He praised Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan and naval officers and sailors for maintaining operational readiness, and paid homage to personnel who had made the supreme sacrifice in safeguarding the country’s maritime boundaries.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean region, Radhakrishnan said India’s sea lanes carried a substantial share of its trade and energy supplies, making maritime security central to the country’s economic growth, security and prosperity.
According to the Vice President, the Indian Navy has consistently demonstrated its role as a first responder and a preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean region through maritime security operations, anti-piracy missions, evacuations of Indian citizens and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
Recalling India’s maritime heritage, he referred to the naval strength of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who built a fleet in the 1650s to protect the Konkan coastline from European powers.
He also cited the naval achievements of the Chola dynasty, whose maritime influence extended across the Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia.
Radhakrishnan recalled India’s naval experiences during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, saying the Navy had come a long way in strengthening its capabilities.
Karwar, he said, occupied a special place in India’s maritime security architecture because of its deep natural harbour and strategic proximity to the Arabian Sea.
The ongoing development of naval infrastructure under Project Seabird, including berthing facilities, a naval air station, a naval dockyard and logistics support, would significantly enhance the Navy’s ability to base and sustain a large number of ships and submarines once completed, he said.
The project was also generating wider economic opportunities for the region, he added.
Admiral Swaminathan described the commissioning as a significant step towards ‘Aatmanirbharata’ (self-reliance). “Samarthak is the first major or big warship contracted to and constructed by a private shipyard to be commissioned into the Indian Navy,” he said. PTI RPS NR
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