Survey ship INS Ikshak has joined the Indian Navy. INS Ikshak has been formally commissioned into military service at a ceremony held at the Naval Base in Kochi, Kerala. During this, many top officers including Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi were present. Ikshak is the first ship to be deployed in the Southern Naval Command, which is the biggest symbol of India’s self-reliant initiative. This is the third indigenous survey vessel to be inducted into the naval fleet. INS ‘Ikshak’ reflects the Indian Navy’s commitment to enhance its maritime and amphibious capabilities.
80 percent indigenous material used in the ship
The Defense Ministry said that the name ‘Ikshak’ means ‘guide’ in Sanskrit. True to its name, it is a guide for all sailors. INS Ikshak is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, Kolkata. This is the latest example of India’s increasing self-reliance in shipbuilding. More than 80 percent indigenous material has been used in this ship. This is the third ship of the Survey Vessel Large (SVL) class to join the Navy.
What work will INS Ikshak do in the sea?
The vessel is designed for coastal and deep water survey of ports and navigation channels. The data obtained from this will be used to ensure safe navigation at sea and strengthen India’s maritime security infrastructure. In the role of a guide, it will provide accurate guidance and monitoring to other ships in the sea. It can carry out many missions to survey.
What equipment is Ikshak equipped with?
INS Ikshak is equipped with many state-of-the-art technology and equipment. It consists of a high-resolution multi-beam echo sounder, an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and 4 survey motor boats (SMBs). Echo sounder is used to find the depth of the ocean. Apart from this, AUV is an autonomous underwater robot, ROV is an underwater cable connected robot and SMB survey boats. The vessel also has a helicopter deck.
Navy Chief said – an indigenous warship is being inducted every 40 days
Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi had said on November 4 that the Navy is inducting a new warship or submarine every 40 days. He said, “The Navy is focusing on building indigenous capabilities in the maritime domain to meet various security challenges. The Navy has adopted self-reliance not only as a strategic necessity, but is also seen as a future security and investment.”
