The keel laying ceremony of the first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) for the Indian Navy was held on September 18, 2026. The milestone follows the steel-cutting ceremony for the second NGMV held earlier in September.
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) originally signed a ₹9,804 crore (over $1 billion) contract with the Ministry of Defence in March 2023 for the design and construction of six NGMVs. While steel cutting for the lead vessel began in December 2024, this keel-laying ceremony marks its official physical assembly on the slipway.
The NGMV project represents a major strategic milestone for CSL, marking the shipyard’s maiden venture into building advanced, weapon-intensive combatants. CSL’s defense portfolio includes India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, alongside an ongoing series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), with additional orders expected for Next Generation Survey Vessels.
Combat Capabilities and Weaponry
In a press release, CSL stated that the primary role of the NGMV would be to provide offensive capability against enemy warships, merchantmen and land targets. These ships will be capable of conducting Maritime Strike Operations, Anti Surface Warfare Operations and would be a potent instrument of sea denial for enemy ships especially at choke points. In the defensive role, these ships would be employed for Local Naval Defence operations and Seaward Defence of Offshore Development Area.
NGMVs are waterjet propelled high-speed vessels with armament and sensors including the BrahMos Surface to Surface Missile system, VLSRSAM Anti-Missile Defence System, Bharat Electronics MFR Air Surveillance and Fire Control Radars. The ship will have a complement of total 80 personnel and have a maximum speed of 33 knots. Notably, images and models of the NGMV show two bow mounted inclined launchers for BrahMos, each with two missiles. The total count of four missiles is half of the requirement stated in a 2015 RFI for NGMVs. The models also show a 76 mm SRGM, stern mounted CIWS & fire control radar.
Propulsion and Indigenous Supply Chain
In April 2026, Kongsberg Maritime had signed a contract to supply 18 large Kamewa waterjets for the program. The three waterjets on each ship will be powered by a single GE Aerospace LM2500 gas turbine engine for which a contract was signed in October 2024. These will be assembled in India by HAL.
In September 2024, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) had secured an order worth ₹850 crores (around $100 million) from CSL for supply of a DRDO developed X-band MFR for the program. MFR will have a range of about 200 km.
NGMV: What’s next
With the first delivery initially slated for early 2027, the NGMVs will become the largest waterjet-propelled craft in naval service, structurally positioned to replace the Indian Navy’s aging fleets of smaller corvettes. This includes the veteran Veer-class missile boats, some of which have recently undergone refits to swap obsolete P-15 anti-ship missiles for twin-tube BrahMos launchers.
The induction continues a long-standing tradition for the Indian Navy, which has relied on fast missile attack craft since the 1970s—most famously demonstrated by Osa-class boats during Operation Trident and Operation Python against the port of Karachi in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.
Facts Only
* The keel laying ceremony for the first NGMV occurred on September 18, 2026.
* Steel cutting for the second NGMV occurred in September 2026.
* Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence in March 2023 for six NGMVs.
* Steel cutting for the lead vessel began in December 2024.
* The primary role of the NGMV is to provide offensive capability against warships, merchantmen, and land targets.
* These vessels are intended for Maritime Strike Operations and Anti-Surface Warfare Operations.
* NGMVs will be waterjet propelled high-speed vessels.
* Armament includes the BrahMos Surface to Surface Missile system and VLSRSAM Anti-Missile Defence System.
* The vessel will have 80 personnel and a maximum speed of 33 knots.
* Images show two bow-mounted inclined launchers for BrahMos, each with two missiles.
* Models show a 76 mm SRGM, stern-mounted CIWS & fire control radar.
* Kongsberg Maritime contracted for 18 waterjets in April 2026.
* Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) secured an order for an X-band MFR from CSL in September 2024.
Executive Summary
The keel laying ceremony for the first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) for the Indian Navy occurred on September 18, 2026, following a steel-cutting ceremony in September of the same year. Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence in March 2023 for the design and construction of six NGMVs. This keel-laying event signifies the physical assembly of the lead vessel onto the slipway. CSL’s defense portfolio includes the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and ongoing orders for Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC).
The NGMV project is intended to provide offensive capability against enemy warships, merchantmen, and land targets, enabling Maritime Strike Operations and Anti-Surface Warfare Operations, as well as sea denial. Defensively, these vessels are slated for Local Naval Defence and Seaward Defence of the Offshore Development Area. The vessels will be waterjet-propelled high-speed craft, equipped with armament including the BrahMos Surface to Surface Missile system and various sensors like VLSRSAM and MFR radars. Each ship will carry 80 personnel and have a maximum speed of 33 knots.
The project involves specific supply chain agreements: Kongsberg Maritime contracted for 18 waterjets in April 2026, and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) secured an order for an X-band MFR from CSL in September 2024. The first delivery is initially planned for early 2027, positioning the NGMVs to replace older naval assets like the Veer-class missile boats.
Full Take
The trajectory of the NGMV project reveals a strategic pivot toward indigenous, high-speed, weaponized naval platforms designed to address obsolescence within existing fleet structures. The progression from contract signing and steel cutting to physical assembly illustrates a commitment to bridging long-term defense requirements with tangible shipbuilding milestones. A critical point for analysis is the structure of the armament: while incorporating advanced systems like BrahMos and VLSRSAM for offensive and defensive roles, the mention that the total missile count is half the requirement stated in a 2015 Request for Information suggests an immediate constraint or staged delivery mechanism that requires scrutiny regarding long-term capability projection.
The supply chain involves complex integration of specialized components—waterjets from Kongsberg, propulsion systems from GE Aerospace, and sensor systems from BEL—all being manufactured domestically by entities like HAL. This emphasizes a pattern of technological dependency where strategic advantage is built not just on hull design but on the assuredness of an entire ecosystem capable of sustaining advanced weapon integration. The evolution from older missile boats to these high-speed craft signals a necessary modernization, yet the historical reliance on fast missile attack craft (like the Osa-class) suggests this shift is less a clean break and more an adaptation of established tactical doctrine under new technological constraints.
The implication lies in balancing immediate capability development with ensuring that the embedded technology—sensors, propulsion, and weapon systems—operates cohesively and reliably at the intended operational speeds. The focus on achieving maritime strike denial capabilities through these vessels necessitates examining whether the planned integration reflects a full systemic understanding of operational environments or if it prioritizes component assembly over complex system performance assurance during delivery. What are the unstated assumptions about operational tempo, maintenance logistics, and the long-term sustainment of the indigenous supply chain once the initial delivery phase concludes?
Sentinel — Human
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