Indian Navy's indigenously developed INS Sumedha celebrates its 9th anniversary

Indian Naval Ship Sumedha, an indigenously designed and built offshore patrol vessel, celebrated its ninth anniversary on Tuesday, March 7. The ship was built by Goa Shipyard Limited and commissioned into the Indian Navy on March 8, 2014, and is part of the Indian Navy’s eastern fleet.

The ship’s primary role is to undertake coastal and offshore patrolling. It also conducts ocean surveillance and monitors sea line communication. It is a vital part of the Indian Naval fleet and was deployed for hosting Indian Tricolour in Perth on 15th August 2022 as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

About INS Sumedha

It is the third Saryu class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy. It is fitted with advanced weapons and sensors and can carry an integral helicopter and has long endurance. It is part of Indian Navy’s eastern fleet based in Visakhapatnam. It functions under the operational command of the Flag-officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Naval command.

It is the third ship of the indigenous naval off-shore patrol vessel project. Its primary role is to conduct coastal patrolling, provide maritime security to offshore assets and also to conduct surveillance. It also conducts operations for high-value assets. It can also carry helicopters of the Indian Navy. Its speed is 25 Knots (46km/hr or 29mph)

Participation in NAVDEX23 and IDEX23

INS Sumedha arrived in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 20th February 2023. It participated in NAVDEX (Naval Defence Exhibition) and IDEX 23 ( International Defence Exhibition). It was held from 20th-24th February 2023.

The ship's participation in the leading defence exhibitions will showcase the strength of India’s indigenous shipbuilding. It will also underscore the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It is an indigenously developed ship and will encourage the navy to purchase more indigenous equipment to strengthen its fleet of warships and patrol vessels.

More than USD 4-5 billion of business happens during the exhibition. In the recent Aero India 2023 defence exhibition, the total business was around USD 90,000. India is trying to increase its defence exports. By 2025 India aims to achieve a target of Rs 35000 crores in defence exports. In the 2023-24 budget, the defence sector received its highest allocation.