Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched Surya, the first of five indigenously built fleet support ships for the Indian Navy, at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam on 6 October 2026.
WHAT HAPPENED
On 6 October 2026 Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) launched the first Fleet Support Ship (FSS-1), named Surya, at its yard in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was the chief guest. On the same day the shipyard laid the keel of the fifth ship of the class (FSS-5) and opened upgraded facilities, including a new slipway and a 300-tonne Goliath crane.
WHAT IS A FLEET SUPPORT SHIP
A fleet support ship supplies a naval group at sea with fuel, water, stores and ammunition, so that warships can stay at sea longer without returning to port. This is called at-sea replenishment.
KEY FACTS
- Number of ships: five, under a contract signed in August 2023. The keel of the first ship was laid in November 2024.
- Size: about 222.8 metres long and 31.5 metres wide. By displacement the class is reported to be the largest in the Navy, bigger even than its aircraft carriers.
- Features: large cargo and fluid capacity, workshops for first-line maintenance, a helicopter deck and self-defence systems. Bharat Electronics Limited supplies the combat management and communication systems.
- Induction: expected in mid-2027.
- Builder: Hindustan Shipyard Limited, a defence public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, with design support from the consultant SEDS.
EXAM ANGLE
- This fits the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) push in defence production.
- Hindustan Shipyard Limited is headquartered in Visakhapatnam.
- Keywords to remember: Fleet Support Ship, Surya, HSL, at-sea replenishment, five ships.
Published on 6 Oct 2026. Sources: Naval News, UNI and PIB-based reports. Confirm details with the Ministry of Defence release before an exam.