Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) has laid the keel for an advanced Acoustic Research Ship (ARS) being built for the Defence Research & Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) at its Kolkata yard on October 15, 2025, the company said in a statement.
According to statements from GRSE and DRDO, the vessel is an “acoustically silent” platform designed to emit minimal underwater noise. It is intended for research in sonar systems and ocean acoustics.
The ARS will be capable of deploying, towing, and recovering acoustic modules, conducting high-resolution sound-velocity profiling, collecting ocean data, and supporting moored and buoy-based operations across a range of speeds. GRSE reported that the vessel will be 93 metres long with a beam of 18 metres.
It will operate between 4 and 12 knots and achieve an endurance of 30 days or roughly 4,500 nautical miles on a single mission.
The design includes diesel-electric propulsion, dynamic positioning to maintain station up to Sea State 4, three deck cranes for research operations, and accommodation for about 120 personnel.
The construction follows a contract signed between GRSE and NPOL in October 2024. GRSE noted its previous experience in the field, having built India’s current marine acoustic research vessel INS Sagardhwani, commissioned in 1994.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) is a public sector shipbuilding company under India’s Ministry of Defence. It is headquartered in Kolkata and operates as one of India’s primary defence shipyards, specializing in the design and construction of naval warships, research vessels, and auxiliary craft for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under India’s Ministry of Defence responsible for the research and development of technologies for military applications, including aeronautics, armaments, electronics, and naval systems.
Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) is a laboratory under DRDO located in Kochi, Kerala. It focuses on research in underwater acoustics, sonar systems, and oceanographic technologies to support the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities.
