The keel laying ceremony of the first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) for the Indian Navy was held on September 18, 2026. This milestone follows the steel-cutting ceremony for the second NGMV, which took place earlier in September.
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) signed a contract worth ₹9,804 crore (over $1 billion) with the Ministry of Defence in March 2023 for the design and construction of six NGMVs. The keel-laying ceremony signifies the official physical assembly of the lead vessel on the slipway, following the commencement of steel cutting in December 2024.
The NGMV project marks a significant strategic milestone for CSL, representing the shipyard’s first foray into constructing advanced, weapon-intensive combat vessels. CSL’s defense portfolio also includes India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, and an ongoing series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), with further orders anticipated for Next Generation Survey Vessels.
Combat Capabilities and Weaponry
According to a press release from CSL, the primary role of the NGMV will be to provide offensive capabilities against enemy warships, merchant vessels, and land targets. These vessels will be equipped to conduct Maritime Strike Operations and Anti-Surface Warfare Operations, serving as a formidable tool for sea denial, particularly at strategic choke points. In a defensive capacity, the NGMVs will be utilized for Local Naval Defence operations and the Seaward Defence of Offshore Development Areas.
NGMVs are designed as waterjet-propelled, high-speed vessels, armed with systems including the BrahMos Surface to Surface Missile system, the VLSRSAM Anti-Missile Defence System, and Bharat Electronics MFR Air Surveillance and Fire Control Radars. Each ship will accommodate a crew of 80 personnel and achieve a maximum speed of 33 knots. Notably, models of the NGMV indicate two bow-mounted inclined launchers for BrahMos, each capable of carrying two missiles, totaling four missiles, which is half of the requirement outlined in a 2015 Request for Information (RFI) for NGMVs. The models also feature a 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM), a stern-mounted Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), and fire control radar.
Propulsion and Indigenous Supply Chain
In April 2026, Kongsberg Maritime signed a contract to supply 18 large Kamewa waterjets for the NGMV program. Each ship will be powered by three waterjets, driven by a single GE Aerospace LM2500 gas turbine engine, with a contract for the engine signed in October 2024. The assembly of these engines will take place in India by HAL.
Additionally, in September 2024, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) secured an order valued at ₹850 crores (approximately $100 million) from CSL for the supply of a DRDO-developed X-band MFR for the NGMV program, which will have a range of about 200 km.
NGMV: What’s Next
The first delivery of the NGMVs is initially scheduled for early 2027. These vessels will become the largest waterjet-propelled craft in naval service, strategically positioned to replace the Indian Navy’s aging fleet of smaller corvettes, including the veteran Veer-class missile boats, some of which have recently undergone upgrades to replace outdated P-15 anti-ship missiles with twin-tube BrahMos launchers.
The induction of the NGMVs continues a long-standing tradition for the Indian Navy, which has relied on fast missile attack craft since the 1970s, exemplified by the Osa-class boats during Operation Trident and Operation Python against Karachi in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.
For more details, visit www.navalnews.com.
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