In keeping with its commitment towards delivering top quality warships to the Navy and Coast Guard, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, successfully completed the Contractor Sea Trials or CSTs of two platforms on March 3, 2025. Both of these are being built by GRSE for the Navy.
The warships that completed their CSTs simultaneously are the Himgiri (Yard 3022) and Androth (Yard 3035). While the Himgiri is an Advanced Frigate, first in a series of three such platforms being built by GRSE under the Navy’s Project 17A, Androth is second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs) under construction at the shipyard.
A CST is considered the final stage of construction, when a vessel’s seaworthiness is tested. Several factors, such as speed, maneuverability, and the performance of on-board equipment are checked. In this case, senior officials from GRSE, Indian Navy and classification societies were on board both warships to monitor their performances.
The CST for INS Arnala (Yard 3029) – first of the ASW SWCs – was also successfully completed recently and she will be delivered to the Navy shortly.
The journey of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd., a Defence Public Sector Undertaking, under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence, and a Schedule ‘A’ Mini Ratna Category I company, dates back to 1884 when it started its journey as a small workshop to repair vessels of River Steam Navigation Company. The Company was taken over by the Government of India in 1960. GRSE has the distinction of becoming the first shipyard of independent India to build a warship for Indian Navy, the Seaward Defence Boat (SDB) INS Ajay, way back in 1961.
GRSE also built the first ever Indian Export Warship “CGS Barracuda” for Govt. of Mauritius, a Fast Patrol Vessel “SCG PS Zoroaster” for Seychelles and an Ocean-Going Cargo & Passenger Ferry Vessel “MV Ma Lisha” for Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The shipyard was conferred the status of a Miniratna Category I Company in 2006. GRSE is the only Indian Shipbuilder to have four distinct shipyards as an unique infrastructure advantage. GRSE has built over 790 platforms including 110 warships for Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, and friendly foreign countries – highest warships built & delivered by any Indian shipyard till date.
From Frigates, Corvettes, Fleet Tankers, Landing Ship Tank, Landing Craft Utility to Survey Vessels, Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Attack Craft – the repertoire is rich and varied. In addition to shipbuilding & ship repair, GRSE is also engaged in engine production and other engineering activities. The engineering division manufactures deck machinery items, pre-fabricated portable steel bridges and marine pumps. Noteworthy accolades include Raksha Mantri Award 2022 in Designing the most silent ship for Indian Navy for ASW operation, Defence Minister’s Award for Excellence for In-house Design Effort for Offshore Patrol Vessel for Government of Mauritius, CGS Barracuda, Best Performing Defence Shipyard of India for Four Years in a row.
GRSE embraced infrastructure modernization over past decades and can undertake concurrent construction of 24 ships at a time. Team of highly skilled design engineers and state of art VR Lab & latest software aid in the in-house design capabilities. With proven credentials, the shipyard is on a growth path, reaffirming its motto “In Pursuit of Excellence and Quality in Shipbuilding.
