Rajnath Singh launches Navy’s first indigenous fleet support ship ‘Surya’ at Visakhapatnam shipyard
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Indian Navy's first indigenous fleet support ship, 'Surya', at the Hindustan Shipyard in Visakhapatnam. The vessel is designed to refuel and resupply warships at sea, enhancing the Navy's operational endurance.
Why it matters
This launch represents a significant milestone in India's 'Make in India' defense initiative and naval modernization efforts.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Indian Navy’s first indigenously built Fleet Support Ship FSS-1 named Surya and laid the keel for the fifth vessel of the series FSS-5 at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday (October 6, 2026).
The Indian Navy operates four fleet tankers: INS Shakti and INS Jyoti on the eastern coast under the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam and INS Deepak and INS Aditya on the western coast. These tankers refuel and resupply warships at sea so that they do not have to return to port.
The ceremony was attended by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, HSL Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral C. Raghuram, Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat and Roads and Buildings Minister B.C. Janardhan Reddy among others.
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