The Indian Navy will commission Samarthak, its first indigenously built Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV), at Naval Base, Karwar on 16 October 2026. Built by Larsen and Toubro Ltd under the Make in India initiative, she is the first of four such vessels being inducted into the Navy.
Here is what an MPV is, what Samarthak can do, and why the Navy calls her the ideal “utility” ship for strategically important operations.
What is a Multi-Purpose Vessel?
An MPV is a ship built to do many jobs rather than one. Destroyers and frigates are designed mainly for combat, and carrying out routine tasks with them is costly and ties up front-line assets. A multi-purpose ship takes on the everyday and supporting roles so the fighting ships are free for the work only they can do.
The Navy describes Samarthak as an ideal “utility” ship for strategically important operations and an important component of its future fleet.
What will Samarthak do?
Her primary role is maritime surveillance and patrol, which means keeping watch over sea areas and tracking activity at sea. Beyond that, the Navy says she can handle a wide range of tasks.
She can carry out Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), a category that covers lower-threat missions such as counter-piracy and policing at sea. She can serve as a target deployment and trials platform, supporting weapon firings and testing. She can act as a mothership for unmanned and autonomous systems, deploying and supporting drones and uncrewed vessels at sea.
On the humanitarian side, she can be used for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), such as cyclone or earthquake response, and can be converted into a limited hospital ship. The release also lists salvage operations, and mentions “fighting” alongside them, which appears to be a typo for firefighting. Please confirm against the original before publishing.
The Navy says her integrated combat suite combines indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems, optimised for operations in the challenging maritime environment. The release gives no details of her specific weapons or sensors, so I haven’t listed any.
Why does this ship matter beyond her roles?
Samarthak is also a self-reliance story. Designed and built in India by a private-sector shipbuilder under Make in India, she is the first of a four-ship class. The Navy calls her commissioning another significant milestone in India’s drive towards defence self-reliance. It also shows a private yard delivering a naval platform that carries indigenous systems.
The crest shows an Indian elephant emerging from the waves, symbolising strength, intelligence and agility. Her motto is “विजयार्थम् एकनिष्ठता”, which means “Victory is Our Sole Aim.”
Three things stand out. The first is how quickly the remaining three MPVs follow. The second is how the Navy uses Samarthak as an unmanned-systems mothership, since that role is still new for Indian ships. The third is how often she is called on for HADR work in the Indian Ocean Region.
