Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) launched the first of five Fleet Support Ships for the Indian Navy on Tuesday, laid the keel of the fifth, and opened an upgraded slipway and a 300-tonne crane at its Visakhapatnam yard. All three events took place on the same morning.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh carried them out during his maiden visit to the shipyard. The note listed Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, Sribharat Mathukumilli, Member of Parliament for Visakhapatnam, and Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), among those present. Senior officers of the Navy and the Ministry of Defence attended too.
How the morning unfolded
The ship was FSS-1, the lead vessel of the class. Laila Swaminathan, President of the Navy Wives Wellness Association, performed the traditional honours and named her. FSS-1 then entered the waters of the Bay of Bengal as the gathering cheered, according to the note.
The keel of FSS-5 was laid on the same day. HSL said the two events showed the programme moving towards series production of the class.
Singh also inaugurated the upgraded Slipway-4 and the 300-tonne Goliath Crane. The slipway has been given more length and a higher load-bearing capacity. HSL said it can now build and launch ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT). The crane spans Slipways 3 and 4.
The defence minister scribed HSL as a pillar of India’s maritime strength, the press note said. “With the upgraded Slipway and 300-tonne Goliath Crane, HSL is ready to build larger, more complex ships,” he said.
He tied the day to self-reliance. “The launch of FSS-1 and keel laying of FSS-5 show Aatmanirbharta taking shape in steel, extending our Navy’s reach across the Indian Ocean,” Singh said. He added that Andhra Pradesh was “poised to be a principal architect of India’s maritime future, and today we laid its keel”.
The minister also spoke about the name of the yard. Every ship that leaves HSL, he said, carries the name of Hindustan itself in addition to the name on its hull.
What the shipyard said
Rear Admiral C Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, thanked the people behind the day. “The maiden visit of Hon’ble Raksha Mantri is a moment of immense pride and inspiration for every member of HSL,” he said.
“Today’s milestones reflect the dedication of our employees, the trust of the Indian Navy and the support of our business partners,” he said.
“With enhanced infrastructure and our flagship Fleet Support Ship programme in full stride, HSL stands ready to deliver next-generation ships for the nation and for the world,” Raghuram added.
The ships behind the launch
The Fleet Support Ships are 43,500-tonne vessels built to replenish warships at sea. HSL said the class will extend the Navy’s endurance and reach across the Indian Ocean Region. FSS-1 reached the water 18 months after its steel was first cut.
According to HSL, the ships have enhanced cargo and fluid capacity, onboard first-line maintenance workshops, a helicopter deck for Multi-Role Helicopter operations and self-defence systems. The company said it designed and built the class itself, which makes the programme an indigenous one in HSL’s own telling.
HSL was established in 1941. It is a Miniratna Category-I Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence. In 1948, it launched Jala Usha, the first ship built by independent India. Today it builds and repairs ships and submarines for the Navy and other national stakeholders.
The yard came to Tuesday’s events after what it calls its best financial year. For 2025-26, HSL reported a highest-ever value of production of ₹1,969 crore, up 34 per cent. Total income rose 29 per cent to ₹2,295 crore, and profit before tax stood at ₹479.47 crore.
