Third Fleet Support Ship Construction Begins at L&T Shipyard

Rapid Summary

• The keel laying ceremony for the third Fleet Support Ship (FSS) was held at Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai, on July 9, 2025.
• Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan and senior officials from the Indian Navy, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), and L&T attended the ceremony.
• A contract between the Indian Navy and Hindustan Shipyard Limited to acquire five FSS vessels was signed in August 2023.
• Two of thes ships are being built at L&T Shipyard under a public-private partnership model to expedite delivery schedules; deliveries will begin in mid-2027.
• Each ship has a displacement exceeding 40,000 tonnes and will enhance blue water capabilities by replenishing fleet ships with supplies during extended naval operations.
• Secondary roles include participation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations such as evacuations during natural disasters.
• Ships are indigenously designed with equipment sourced from Indian manufacturers.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The completion of the keel laying marks another milestone for India’s naval modernization efforts under its self-reliance initiative (“Aatmanirbhar Bharat”) by focusing on indigenous manufacturing expertise. The collaboration between private sector firms like L&T and state-run institutions such as HSL underscores India’s strategy of leveraging diverse expertise within its shipbuilding sector to meet growing regional maritime security demands while adhering to tight deadlines.

The FSS fleet’s dual function as logistical support for sustained naval operations and relief missions highlights its broader utility beyond defense-strengthening India’s ability to respond effectively to both geopolitical challenges and humanitarian crises in surrounding waters or neighboring regions impacted by climate-related disasters.

By prioritizing domestically-sourced components, this project adds momentum toward reducing dependency on foreign equipment-a step that has long-term implications for cost efficiency while bolstering national capability across critical defense sectors.

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Image: !Vice-Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan at keel-laying ceremony.