Keel laid for fourth next-generation offshore patrol vessel of Indian Coast Guard

The construction of the fourth next-generation offshore patrol vessel for the Indian Coast Guard has commenced with a keel-laying ceremony in Mumbai. The vessel is being indigenously designed and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders under the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative

New Delhi: Work has begun on the construction of the fourth of the six next-generation offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard, with a keel-laying ceremony held in Mumbai on Thursday, officials said.

This ship, with modern machinery and state-of-the-art systems, is being indigenously designed, developed and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), in line with the government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

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“This initiative marks a key milestone in ICG’s ongoing efforts to enhance its operational capabilities and bolster coastal security, thereby strengthening the nation’s strategic autonomy,” the defence ministry said.

The keel-laying ceremony of the fourth of the six next-generation OPVs, being built by MDL for the Coast Guard, took place in Mumbai on June 25, it said in a statement.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the ICG and MDL. The contract for the construction of these six vessels was concluded on December 20, 2023, it said.