Navy's First Indigenous Fleet Support Ship 'Surya' Launched: How Ships Refuel at Sea
On 6 October 2026, the first Fleet Support Ship (FSS-1) of the Indian Navy, named 'Surya', was launched at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. "Launched" means the hull was floated into the water for the first time; fitting-out work continues after this.
Surya is a 43,500-tonne replenishment ship. Its job is to refuel and resupply several warships at the same time while they are out at sea.
The ship has about 82% Indian content, which means most of its parts, materials and services come from Indian sources. It entered the sea about 18 months after its steel was first cut.
At the same ceremony, the keel of the fifth ship (FSS-5) was laid. Laying the keel is the formal start of building a ship's main body.
The shipyard also opened an upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath crane. Together they allow HSL to build ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes.
The five ships were ordered from HSL in August 2023 under a contract worth about ₹19,000 crore.
Fleet Support Ships and Replenishment at Sea
A fleet support ship is a large naval ship that works like a moving petrol pump and supply store for warships. It carries fuel, fresh water, food, ammunition and spare parts. It meets warships in the middle of the ocean and passes these supplies to them while both ships keep sailing. This process is called replenishment at sea. It lets a navy keep its warships far from home for weeks or months without returning to port.
The launch of 'Surya' is the first visible result of the five-ship FSS programme. Once these ships join the Navy, Indian warships will be able to stay at sea far longer and operate across the whole Indian Ocean. The high Indian content also shows how large naval ships are now being built at home.
Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020
The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 is the Ministry of Defence's rulebook for buying weapons, ships, aircraft and other big equipment for the armed forces. It lists buying categories in order of preference, and the top preference goes to equipment designed, developed and made in India. The aim is to cut imports and grow India's own defence industry. It came into force on 1 October 2020.
The Fleet Support Ships are being built at an Indian shipyard with about 82% Indian content. This is the kind of result the DAP's preference for Indian-made equipment is meant to produce.
- FSS-1 'Surya': launched 6 October 2026 at Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam
- Displacement: about 43,500 tonnes; indigenous content about 82%
- Entered the sea about 18 months after steel cutting
- Keel of FSS-5 laid at the same ceremony
- Upgraded Slipway-4 and 300-tonne Goliath crane: HSL can now build ships up to 45,000 DWT
- Five-ship FSS contract: signed 25 August 2023, about ₹19,000 crore
- Defence production 2024-25: ₹1,50,590 crore (record)