Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, visited Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on Thursday to review the progress of key naval shipbuilding and refit programmes under execution at the state-owned defence shipyard.
Vice Admiral Pendharkar was received by Commodore Girideep Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, along with senior executives and project directors. The delegation was briefed on flagship initiatives, including the construction of the Fleet Support Ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy and a series of complex ship and submarine refits critical to sustaining operational readiness.
The admiral commended HSL’s efforts to modernise its infrastructure and improve production efficiency, noting that its recent advances mirror the wider transformation of India’s defence shipbuilding sector under the Ministry of Defence’s AatmaNirbhar Bharat drive for self-reliance.
The Fleet Support Ship project—one of the largest naval contracts awarded to HSL—will substantially extend the Navy’s reach by enabling replenishment and logistical support to warships operating far from Indian shores. Each vessel will carry fuel, ammunition and stores to sustain blue-water deployments, reinforcing India’s maritime endurance in the Indo-Pacific.
HSL officials outlined a series of upgrades across the shipyard, including the modernisation of its dry dock, the adoption of automated fabrication systems and the rollout of digital project-tracking tools designed to improve oversight and delivery timelines. These measures, they said, are beginning to translate into measurable gains in productivity and quality across both naval and commercial workstreams.
During his interaction with engineers, designers and technical personnel, Vice Admiral Pendharkar praised their contribution to the yard’s turnaround and underscored the importance of close coordination between HSL and the Eastern Naval Command. The partnership, he observed, remains vital for sustaining fleet availability and ensuring timely overhauls of critical assets.
Established in 1941, Hindustan Shipyard Limited has emerged as a linchpin in India’s shipbuilding and repair ecosystem. The Visakhapatnam-based yard has delivered major platforms to the Navy and Coast Guard—including fleet tankers, offshore patrol vessels and specialised auxiliaries—while undertaking refits of submarines and other complex assets.
For the Eastern Naval Command, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, the collaboration represents a cornerstone of India’s maritime preparedness in the Bay of Bengal and adjoining waters. The visit by Vice Admiral Pendharkar reaffirmed the Navy’s confidence in HSL’s growing capabilities and its role in advancing India’s shipbuilding self-reliance.