Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to launch Fleet Support Ship-1 (FSS-1) at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, on October 6, 2026. The event marks an important milestone in India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme. Press Information Bureau

During the visit, Singh will also lay the keel of Fleet Support Ship-5 (FSS-5) and inaugurate the upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath Crane at HSL. The upgraded infrastructure will allow the shipyard to build and launch vessels of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT). Press Information Bureau

FSS-1 is the first of five Fleet Support Ships being built for the Indian Navy. Each vessel has a displacement of around 43,500 tonnes and is designed to provide fuel, water, ammunition and other essential supplies to naval ships operating at sea. This capability allows deployed warships to remain at sea for longer periods without returning to port. Press Information Bureau

According to the Ministry of Defence, FSS-1 is expected to enter the Bay of Bengal just 18 months after steel cutting, while the keel-laying of FSS-5 will mark further progress towards series production of the vessels. Press Information Bureau

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan and Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar are among those expected to attend the programme.