India Launches Its First Indigenously Built Advanced Ocean Research Vessel, Sagar Manthan

India is looking deeper into its oceans—and a new vessel is set to lead the way. ‘Sagar Manthan’, India’s first indigenously built Advanced Ocean Research Vessel (ORV), was launched on September 9 at Kolkata by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd. Built for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the vessel will strengthen India’s Deep Ocean Mission.With a project cost of around ₹840 crore, the vessel is expected to be ready for operations by early 2028. The launch came just five months after its keel was laid, highlighting the pace at which India is building advanced research infrastructure.Built to Explore the DeepMeasuring 89.5 metres in length and 18.8 metres in width, Sagar Manthan will have a gross tonnage of about 5,900 tonnes and can reach speeds of up to 14 knots. But its real strength lies in what it can do beneath the surface.According to a report in The Indian Express, the vessel will be capable of conducting seismic and multibeam surveys in coastal and deep waters, reaching depths of up to 6 km. It will also conduct oceanographic studies, including water sampling, biological surveys and conductivity, temperature and depth profiling. Scientists will be able to collect seabed samples, study rocks and operate deep-sea moorings and data buoys.Sagar Manthan is designed to function as much more than a research ship. Scientists will be able to conduct atmospheric, meteorological and ocean-current observations while processing and analysing data on board. The vessel will also be equipped to launch and recover Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) being developed under the Deep Ocean Mission.This could open new possibilities for studying India’s largely unexplored deep-sea environment.Strengthening India’s Shipbuilding CapabilitiesThe vessel also highlights the growing capabilities of GRSE, which has decades of experience in building specialised survey vessels for the Indian Navy. GRSE has already delivered four large survey vessels to the Navy, with the latest, INS Sanshodhak, delivered earlier this year.Sagar Manthan is set to take India deeper into the oceans, opening new possibilities for science, exploration.