NewzVille Desk
The Indian Navy to commission Ikshak, the third vessel of the Survey Vessel (Large) [SVL] class and the first to be based at the Southern Naval Command. The ship will be formally commissioned into service in presence of Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, at a ceremony at Naval Base, Kochi on 06 November, 2025.
‘Ikshak’, means ‘Guide’ in Sanskrit, aptly defines the ship’s role as a sentinel of precision and purpose. The vessel is designed to undertake full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys of ports, harbours, and navigational channels. The data generated will be vital for ensuring safe navigation at sea, strengthening India’s maritime safety framework.
Ikshak is equipped with state-of-the-art hydrographic and oceanographic equipment, including a high-resolution multi-beam echo sounder, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), and four Survey Motor Boats (SMBs), Ikshak brings unmatched versatility and capability to the Navy’s hydrographic fleet.
The ship is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd., Kolkata.
