DRI seizes 740 kg cannabis and charas in operations across country (See 'Corp Brief') MoS launches India's Advanced Ocean Research Vessel 'ORV Sagar Manthan' (See 'Corp Brief') MC²+ to launch dedicated Co-working Space and Innovation Node at NRL Centre (See 'Corp Brief') Companies Act - Issuance of order by a central authority stationed in New Delhi does not, per se, confer territorial jurisdiction or constitute a substantial part of cause of action when underlying subject matter has its closest nexus with another jurisdiction: HC (See 'Legal Desk') New guidelines mandate minimum 80% plantation coverage and 90% survival rate along NHs (See 'Corp Brief') Freedom of navigation are pivotal for collective prosperity of Indian Ocean Region: RM (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Marks - Order rejecting registration of trade marks is invalid where no reasoning whatsoever is given, thereby showing complete non-application of mind: HC (See 'Legal Desk') MoS says literacy and education must be reimagined as instruments of empowerment (See 'Corp Brief') Workshop on Data Harmonisation for Data Driven Governance held (See 'Corp Brief') DAHD strengthens Surveillance, Vaccination and Disease-Control Measures (See 'Corp Brief') PM-SETU strengthens Industry-Led ITI Transformation (See 'Corp Brief') Competition Act - Allegations of anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position cannot be sustained on basis of information which is generic, speculative, lacking in foundational facts & not backed by cogent evidence: CCI (See 'Legal Desk') DFPD and FCI sign MoU for to Strengthen Efficiency in Foodgrain Management (See 'Corp Brief') STPI Organises Electropreneur Summit 2026 at IIIT-Delhi (See 'Corp Brief') India-Japan Joint Working Group Meeting on Forests held at Bengaluru (See 'Corp Brief') AI keeps an Eye on 'Cattle of the Hills' (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Act of IRP in releasing direct payments to an un-engaged secondary advocate without a formal direct engagement letter, independent invoices in payee's name, violates professional standards & regulatory requirements under IBC Code of Conduct, irrespective of subsequent ratification by CoC: IBBI (See 'Legal Desk') Next-Gen Aquaculture in India: Harnessing RAS and Bio-floc Technology in Blue Economy (See 'Corp Brief') Fighting Air Pollution is continuous Programme: EFCC Secretary (See 'Corp Brief') From Struggles to Success: KVIC is Inspiring Entrepreneurial Journeys (See 'Corp Brief') NI Act is not primarily punitive rather is compensatory in nature, with focus on recovery of amount in question: HC (See 'Legal Desk') India should target 10 Million Medical Value Tourists Annually: Goyal (See 'Corp Brief') CIL's daily Average Production Rises 35% (See 'Corp Brief') e-FAST India launches PACT to support accelerated zero-emission freight deployment in India (See 'Corp Brief') Chouhan reviews action plan for strengthening KVKs through greater State participation (See 'Corp Brief') CPC - leave granted u/s Clause XII of the Letters Patent confers jurisdiction exclusively on High Court & does not bind or preserve the territorial jurisdiction of a subordinate civil court upon transfer: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Minister says early industry participation can make technologies market-ready (See 'Corp Brief') Dynamic Local Level Planning imperative for documenting Local Biodiversity: Yadav (See 'Corp Brief') National Zoological Park Organises Sunday Bird, Butterfly and Dragonfly Walks to Promote Science (See 'Corp Brief') SEBI - Writ court's intervention is required in a private contractual dispute between petitioner & broker where any contractual or statutory remedies available under SEBI Act is not invoked: HC (See 'Legal Desk') 1st Batch of Corporate Mitra Course Commences with 2879 Learners registered (See 'Corp Brief') SAIL posts strong sales and production growth in August 2026 (See 'Corp Brief') SEBI - Any notice or assessment order is invalid where passed in respect of an entity that has been struck off Register of Companies & has since been dissolved: SEBI (See 'Legal Desk') MoS felicitates 'Team India School Children' for Historic Best-Ever Performance (See 'Corp Brief') Coal India Output and Dispatch Set to Accelerate as Monsoon Effect Wanes (See 'Corp Brief') Wow! 7.8% growth but it also does not reveal many things! (See CORP EINSICHT)

Print

MoS launches India's Advanced Ocean Research Vessel 'ORV Sagar Manthan'

Published: Sep 10, 2026

By TIOLCorplaws News Service

KOLKATA, SEP 10, 2026: MARKING a historic milestone in India's journey toward self-reliance in oceanographic science and maritime technology, the state-of-the-art Ocean Research Vessel (Yard 3041), officially named ORV Sagar Manthan, was launched yesterday at the Rishi Bankim Shipyard, Kolkata.

Designed, engineered, and constructed by defense public sector undertaking Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the vessel was officially launched through virtual presence by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Hon'ble Minister of Earth Sciences, Government of India, with his spouse Manju Singh, who named the vessel, keeping with the tradition. The event was held in the august presence of Dr T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, who was joined by his spouse, Kavita Ellanti, for the ship launch in Kolkata.

Hon'ble Minister highlighted National Pride, Global Ocean Geopolitics, and Atmanirbharta. Delivering the keynote address (virtual), Dr Jitendra Singh, Hon'ble Minister of Earth Sciences, termed the occasion a "red letter day" for NCPOR, the Ministry, and the nation. He praised the team for achieving the launch within just two years of contract signing and barely five months after keel laying, hailing it as an exceptional display of efficiency.

Highlighting the strategic and scientific necessity of the vessel, Dr Jitendra Singh (through his message) conveyed: "This fine ship is India's first advanced Ocean Research Vessel built by GRSE, displaying the required thrust towards Atmanirbharta and self-reliance that Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji has been laying so much stress on. Knowledge is strength, and this knowledge can only be gained through research. Yesterday, the world knows very little about our oceans, yet they provide vital inputs about melting polar glaciers, maritime impact, and climate dynamics. Solid data collected by vessels like ORV Sagar Manthan will allow India to lead the global path in disaster prevention, take corrective environmental measures, and play a pivotal role in global ocean geopolitics."

Dr Singh noted that the feature-rich ORV Sagar Manthan will gradually replace the iconic 43-year-old ORV Sagar Kanya (procured from Germany in 1983), commending MoES plans to acquire more oceanographic vessels and a Polar Research Vessel in the near future.

MoES Secretary emphasised Scientific Capabilities and Indigenous Transition

In his address, Dr T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, expressed pride in India's policy shift from acquiring research platforms abroad to building them domestically.

Elaborating the core scientific impact, Dr T. Srinivasa Kumar remarked:

"As an oceanographer, I have witnessed first-hand the immense value of ocean research. It is the foundation for understanding climate challenges, predicting tsunamis, and strengthening maritime capabilities. The capabilities of this new ORV excite me as a scientist. It will feature underway swath multibeam surveys, geophysical profiling, atmospheric observations, and water column sampling. GRSE has passed a complex challenge with flying colours, proving that India is among the select few nations capable of designing and constructing such complex platforms."

Project Background and Strategic Significance

Constructed under Vertical-4 (Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration) of the Government of India's flagship Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) at an approximate cost of Rs. 840 Crore, ORV Sagar Manthan is an all-weather, multidisciplinary platform. It is engineered to operate in extreme oceanic environments, including the Southern Ocean, with a projected service life of 30 years.

Key Technical & Operational Features

Advanced Equipment: Integrated with dynamic positioning, multibeam bathymetry, multichannel seismic systems, sub-bottom profiling, weather radar, drop keels, and deployment facilities for Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV).

Research Spectrum: Will support multidisciplinary exploration along the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges to identify multi-metal hydrothermal sulphide mineralisation, establish environmental baselines, collect upper-air data, and undertake CTD profiling.

Dual-Class Certification: Built in full compliance with international regulatory standards under dual-class certification by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

Project Milestones: Following contract signing in July 2024, first steel cutting on November 29, 2024, and Keel Laying on April 08, 2026, the vessel successfully transitioned from the erection dock to the construction dock yesterday.

Following its launch, superstructure erection, system integration, and extensive sea trials will proceed before its final delivery for commissioning to NCPOR/MoES, which is scheduled for 2028.

The ceremony featured key ceremonial milestones conducted by distinguished dignitaries. After the welcome address by Cmdr PR Hari, C&MD, GRSE, the Launching & Naming Ceremony of Yard 3041 through the official Unveiling of the Name Plaque was done in the presence of Dr MV Ramanamurthy, Mission Director, Deep Ocean Mission and Dr Thamban Meloth, Director, NCPOR, MoES.  Marking the flagship moment of the occasion, the formal Launching of the Ship was successfully executed by officially transferring the advanced vessel into the water to begin its next phase of construction.

TIOL CORP SEARCH

TIOL GROUP WEBSITES

taxindiaonline
taxindiainternational
TKF
TIOLawards
A TIOL Website. Copyright © 2025 TIOLcorplaws.com All rights reserved.