Steel cutting of fifth and last Fleet Support Ship for Indian Navy held at Hindustan Shipyard, Visakhapatnam
On 8 May 2026 the steel cutting of the fifth and last of five Fleet Support Ships for the Indian Navy was held at Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam; the ships, of over 40,000 tonnes displacement, will replenish fleet ships at sea.
Summary
The steel-cutting ceremony of the fifth and last of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy was held at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, on 8 May 2026, with Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, as chief guest. The Navy signed the contract with HSL for the five ships in August 2023, and deliveries are to begin in mid-2027. With a displacement of more than 40,000 tonnes, the ships will deliver fuel, water, ammunition and stores to fleet ships at sea, extending their deployments and bolstering the Navy's blue-water capability; their secondary roles are Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief and Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations. The ships have a completely indigenous design.
Key facts
- Event
- Steel cutting of 5th (last) Fleet Support Ship, 8 May 2026
- Shipyard
- Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam
- Contract
- Five FSS, signed August 2023; deliveries from mid-2027
- Size / role
- Over 40,000 tonnes; fuel, water, ammunition, stores at sea
- Secondary roles
- HADR and Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations
Practice MCQs 3 questions
The Fleet Support Ships for the Indian Navy, whose fifth and last unit's steel cutting took place in May 2026, are being built by which shipyard?
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Correct answer: D — Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam
All five Fleet Support Ships are being built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, under a contract signed in August 2023.
What is the displacement of the Fleet Support Ships being built for the Indian Navy?
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Correct answer: B — More than 40,000 tonnes
The Fleet Support Ships will have a displacement of more than 40,000 tonnes.
Consider the following statements about the Indian Navy's Fleet Support Ships (FSS) project: 1. The contract for five FSS was signed in August 2023, with deliveries starting in mid-2027. 2. The primary role of the FSS is Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. The primary role is replenishing fleet ships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition and stores; HADR and NEO are secondary roles.