Cochin Shipyard Limited has laid the keel of the Indian Navy’s first Next Generation Missile Vessel, BY 531, in Kerala, formally beginning construction of the lead ship. The milestone followed the steel-cutting ceremony for the second hull, BY 532, held one day earlier. The program originates from an approximately $1-billion contract signed in 2023 between the Ministry of Defence and CSL for six corvette-type vessels. Once commissioned, the ships will conduct surface warfare, precision strikes against surface and ground targets, offshore infrastructure protection and choke-point interdiction missions across the Indian Ocean. The project is CSL’s first effort to construct heavily armed, high-speed surface combatants for the Indian Navy. The NGMV will measure 89 metres in length and have a 12-metre beam, accommodate more than 80 sailors and include space for a rigid-hull inflatable boat. Its planned weapons include Kavach anti-missile decoys, a 76mm naval autocannon, 30mm rotary close-in weapon systems, 12.7mm remote weapon stations, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missiles, Very Short Range Air Defense Systems and loitering munitions. The vessel is designed for more than 10 days of operational endurance, a maximum speed of 35 knots and a range of 2,800 nautical miles. Propulsion will consist of a General Electric LM2500 gas turbine, twin Pielstick 12PA 6 STC6 diesel engines and three Kongsberg Kamewa waterjets.
