Kolkata, Aug. 11 -- Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) on Tuesday achieved a major milestone in indigenous shipbuilding with the launch of the first Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) in Kolkata.

The vessel is the first of four NGOPVs for which the contract was signed on March 30, 2023. Designed with advanced naval combat systems, these vessels are intended to significantly enhance the Indian Navy's ability to maintain combat readiness while safeguarding the nation's economic and geopolitical interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Equipped with a high level of indigenous content in alignment with the national goal of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', the NGOPVs are versatile platforms capable of operating at sea for...