INS Samarthak, India's First Indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel, Commissioned at Karwar
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Samarthak, its first indigenously built Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV), at Naval Base Karwar on 16 October 2026 - the final step after builder Larsen & Toubro delivered her on 29 August 2026. Built under Make in India with over 75% indigenous content, she is the first of four such vessels, with a combat suite of Indian sensors, weapons and electronics. Roles span maritime surveillance and patrol, Low Intensity Maritime Operations, target deployment and weapon trials, mothership duties for unmanned and autonomous systems, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, limited hospital-ship conversion and salvage work.
Karwar in Karnataka hosts Project Seabird, India's largest naval base, under the Western Naval Command | The Indian Navy has three commands - Western at Mumbai, Eastern at Visakhapatnam and Southern at Kochi, the last being its training command | Navy Day is observed on 4 December, marking Operation Trident against Karachi harbour during the 1971 war