INS Ikshak joins Navy, can map  seabeds for critical minerals

The Navy’s indigenously built warship, INS Ikshak, having the capability to study under-sea hydrography, was commissioned on Thursday at the naval base in Kochi, Kerala.

The INS Ikshak, is the third of four ships which are classified as ‘survey vessel large’. The hydrographic data that these ships generate is a strategic necessity, not just for naval operations such as submarines, but for commercial application.

Third survey vessel

INS Ikshak is the third in a series of four survey vessels; the other two being INS Sandhayak and INS Nirdeshak

It has a displacement of about 3,400 tonne, 110-metre length and over 80 per cent indigenous content

The ship can accommodate 231 personnel and carry four survey motorboats, along with a helicopter

It can collect oceanographic and geophysical data for defence and civil applications 

The ship is equipped for full-scale coastal and also deep-water hydrographic survey of ports and high seas. Closer to shore, the INS Ikshak can determine navigational channels needed for submarines and underwater unmanned vessels. The ship will collect oceanographic and geophysical data for defence and civil applications.

Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, while presiding over the commissioning ceremony, said the survey vessels met a fundamental need of the maritime world, both naval and commercial.

“Today, with an intensified focus on seabed mapping for critical minerals and activities impacting climate change, both, on land and at sea, precise hydrographic data transcends utility. It becomes a strategic necessity,” the Navy Chief added.

The rise of new technologies, contests over critical minerals, and evolving patterns of maritime trade was redrawing the strategic map across the oceans, the Admiral added.

INS Ikshak is the third in a series of four survey vessels, the other two being INS Sandhayak and INS Nirdeshak, which were commissioned in February 2024 and December 2024, respectively. The contract for four such ships was signed in October 2018.

The four-ship project marks a significant upgrade in India's naval survey capabilities. With modern technology, high indigenous content, and multi-functional design, these vessels strengthen both the strategic and operational roles of the Navy.

The Navy’s survey vessels are also in great demand by other countries. One of Navy’s survey ships rendered hydrographic assistance to Mauritius and Vietnam. Another ship recently completed an important deployment to Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, showcasing the Navy’s hydrographic and capabilities.

With a displacement of about 3,400 tonne and overall length of 110 metres, INS Ikshak is fitted with state-of-the art hydrographic equipment. This includes data acquisition and processing system, autonomous underwater vehicle, guiding a remotely operated vehicle, long-range positioning systems and digital side scan sonar.

Powered by two diesel engines, the ship can achieve speeds in excess of 18 knots. The ship can accommodate 231 personnel and carry four survey motorboats, along with an integral helicopter.

Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata, under the supervision of the Directorate of Ship Production and the warship overseeing team (Kolkata), INS Ikshak embodies over 80 per cent indigenous content. Notably, INS Ikshak is also the first survey vessel with dedicated accommodation for women.