Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has laid keel for the first of the six next-generation missile vessels (NGMV) being built for the Indian Navy.

Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition from Integrated Headquarters, (Indian Navy), laid the keel on Friday (September 18, 2026) in the presence of Jose V.J., chairman and managing director, CSL, Rear Admiral Kapil Mehta, and S. Harikrishnan, director (operations) CSL.

The ships are envisaged as high-speed vessels with an array of weapons and sensors, including a surface-to-surface missile system, anti-missile defence system, and air surveillance and fire control radars, a communication said.

The primary role of the NGMV will be to provide offensive capability against enemy warships, merchantmen, and land targets. In a defensive role, these ships would be employed for local naval defence operations and seaward defence of offshore development area. The ship will have a complement of 80 personnel and a maximum speed of 33 knots, it said.