India’s defence minister has launched the first of five new fleet support ships and laid the keel of the last, marking several milestones at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam.&nbsp;Defence Minister Rajnath Singh sent FSS-1 into the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday, 18 months after its steel was cut. Laila Swaminathan, president of the Navy Wives Welfare Association, performed the traditional ceremony and named the ship. Each vessel in the class displaces about 43,500 tonnes and is designed to replenish warships at sea, extending the navy’s endurance across the Indian Ocean.&nbsp;On the same morning, Singh laid the keel of FSS-5, the fifth ship of the series. Hindustan Shipyard said the twin events showed the programme moving into series production. He also opened an upgraded Slipway-4, able to build and launch ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes, and a 300-tonne Goliath crane spanning Slipways 3 and 4. The crane was designed and built by L&amp;T Geostructure with Konecranes under the Make in India programme.&nbsp;“With the upgraded slipway and 300-tonne Goliath crane, HSL is ready to build larger, more complex ships,” Singh told the gathering. “The launch of FSS-1 and keel laying of FSS-5 show Aatmanirbharta taking shape in steel, extending our Navy’s reach across the Indian Ocean. Andhra Pradesh is poised to be a principal architect of India’s maritime future, and today we laid its keel.”&nbsp;He added that every ship leaving the yard carried not only a name on its hull, but the name of Hindustan itself.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-25-from-upi-to-ayushman-bharat-5-ideas-that-set-global-benchmarks-1791289490970">Modi@25: From UPI to Ayushman Bharat, 5 ideas that set global benchmarks</a>&nbsp;The events followed two earlier deliveries. INS Nistar, described by the yard as India’s first indigenously designed and built diving support vessel, with more than 80 per cent local content, was commissioned in July 2025 and has since remained at sea on operational duties. INS Nipun, the second of the class, joined the fleet on 30 August 2026. The yard said the minister’s visit came just five weeks after that commissioning.&nbsp;Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, chief of the naval staff, attended, along with Visakhapatnam MP Sribharat Mathukumilli and Sanjeev Kumar, secretary for defence production.&nbsp;Rear Admiral C Raghuram (retd), chairman and managing director of the shipyard, called the visit a moment of pride. “Two warships commissioned, a record year and now three milestones in a single day,” he said. For 2025-26, the yard reported a highest-ever value of production of ₹1,969 crore, up 34 per cent, with total income of ₹2,295 crore and profit before tax of ₹479.47 crore.&nbsp;Hindustan Shipyard builds and repairs ships and submarines for the navy and other national customers. Rajnath Singh described it as a pillar of India’s maritime strength.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched FSS-1 and laid the keel of FSS-5 at Hindustan Shipyard in Visakhapatnam, marking key milestones in India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme.

India’s defence minister has launched the first of five new fleet support ships and laid the keel of the last, marking several milestones at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh sent FSS-1 into the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday, 18 months after its steel was cut. Laila Swaminathan, president of the Navy Wives Welfare Association, performed the traditional ceremony and named the ship. Each vessel in the class displaces about 43,500 tonnes and is designed to replenish warships at sea, extending the navy’s endurance across the Indian Ocean. On the same morning, Singh laid the keel of FSS-5, the fifth ship of the series. Hindustan Shipyard said the twin events showed the programme moving into series production. He also opened an upgraded Slipway-4, able to build and launch ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes, and a 300-tonne Goliath crane spanning Slipways 3 and 4. The crane was designed and built by L&T Geostructure with Konecranes under the Make in India programme. “With the upgraded slipway and 300-tonne Goliath crane, HSL is ready to build larger, more complex ships,” Singh told the gathering. “The launch of FSS-1 and keel laying of FSS-5 show Aatmanirbharta taking shape in steel, extending our Navy’s reach across the Indian Ocean. Andhra Pradesh is poised to be a principal architect of India’s maritime future, and today we laid its keel.” He added that every ship leaving the yard carried not only a name on its hull, but the name of Hindustan itself. Also Read: Modi@25: From UPI to Ayushman Bharat, 5 ideas that set global benchmarks The events followed two earlier deliveries. INS Nistar, described by the yard as India’s first indigenously designed and built diving support vessel, with more than 80 per cent local content, was commissioned in July 2025 and has since remained at sea on operational duties. INS Nipun, the second of the class, joined the fleet on 30 August 2026. The yard said the minister’s visit came just five weeks after that commissioning. Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, chief of the naval staff, attended, along with Visakhapatnam MP Sribharat Mathukumilli and Sanjeev Kumar, secretary for defence production. Rear Admiral C Raghuram (retd), chairman and managing director of the shipyard, called the visit a moment of pride. “Two warships commissioned, a record year and now three milestones in a single day,” he said. For 2025-26, the yard reported a highest-ever value of production of ₹1,969 crore, up 34 per cent, with total income of ₹2,295 crore and profit before tax of ₹479.47 crore. Hindustan Shipyard builds and repairs ships and submarines for the navy and other national customers. Rajnath Singh described it as a pillar of India’s maritime strength.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched FSS-1 and laid the keel of FSS-5 at Hindustan Shipyard in Visakhapatnam, marking key milestones in India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches navy’s first fleet support ship

Putting warships, submarines and aircraft to sea for training consumes fuel, requires large crews and uses valuable operational hours. More importantly, some of the most dangerous scenarios, from submarine attacks to incoming missiles, cannot simply be recreated repeatedly with real assets. That is where an expanding Indian simulation ecosystem is beginning to play a larger role.&nbsp;Zen Technologies has naval and maritime simulators in India that can recreate everything from navigating a warship bridge to submarine warfare and complex multi-ship tactical operations. I had the chance to visit the facility in New Delhi and the experience was immersive and comprehensive, to say the least.&nbsp;A ship-handling simulator, for instance, can reproduce navigation equipment, radar, communications, changing weather, sea conditions and even different propulsion configurations. Crews can repeatedly practise emergencies and difficult manoeuvres without taking an actual vessel to sea.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-hails-very-positive-us-china-talks-as-xi-hints-at-more-meetings-this-year-1790353599662">Trump hails ‘very positive’ US-China talks as Xi hints at more meetings this year</a>&nbsp;Simulators become increasingly effective even from a cost perspective as the savings can be significant. Instead of assembling multiple ships at sea to rehearse a particular contingency, the scenario can be recreated virtually. This reduces training expenditure while allowing crews to repeat situations until responses become instinctive. The technology becomes even more significant when training shifts from navigation to combat.

The Action Speed Tactical Trainer, or ASTT, can simulate a naval battlespace involving submarines, warships and other assets. Radar, sonar and other sensor information can be recreated while opposing teams fight simulated engagements, allowing commanders to test tactics and decision-making without deploying actual platforms.&nbsp;The wider portfolio extends across anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, electronic warfare, mine and amphibious operations, submarine navigation and deep-submergence rescue training.&nbsp;&nbsp;There is also an important indigenous technology dimension. Building such systems in India means training environments can be customised around India's platforms, geography and requirements, including maps, threats and drone profiles according to the user's training requirements.&nbsp;&nbsp;Zen says its naval and marine simulation footprint includes more than 1,500 operational systems across over 60 countries. As naval platforms become more sophisticated and more expensive to operate, the economics of training are changing too.&nbsp;The next naval battle may still be fought at sea, but sailors could fight it hundreds of times virtually before their warship leaves harbour.

Indigenous naval simulators such as those developed by Zen Technologies are helping crews train for complex maritime operations virtually, reducing costs and allowing dangerous scenarios to be practised repeatedly without deploying real warships.

Putting warships, submarines and aircraft to sea for training consumes fuel, requires large crews and uses valuable operational hours. More importantly, some of the most dangerous scenarios, from submarine attacks to incoming missiles, cannot simply be recreated repeatedly with real assets. That is where an expanding Indian simulation ecosystem is beginning to play a larger role. Zen Technologies has naval and maritime simulators in India that can recreate everything from navigating a warship bridge to submarine warfare and complex multi-ship tactical operations. I had the chance to visit the facility in New Delhi and the experience was immersive and comprehensive, to say the least. A ship-handling simulator, for instance, can reproduce navigation equipment, radar, communications, changing weather, sea conditions and even different propulsion configurations. Crews can repeatedly practise emergencies and difficult manoeuvres without taking an actual vessel to sea. Also Read: Trump hails ‘very positive’ US-China talks as Xi hints at more meetings this year Simulators become increasingly effective even from a cost perspective as the savings can be significant. Instead of assembling multiple ships at sea to rehearse a particular contingency, the scenario can be recreated virtually. This reduces training expenditure while allowing crews to repeat situations until responses become instinctive. The technology becomes even more significant when training shifts from navigation to combat.

Indigenous naval simulators such as those developed by Zen Technologies are helping crews train for complex maritime operations virtually, reducing costs and allowing dangerous scenarios to be practised repeatedly without deploying real warships.

India’s virtual warships: How indigenous simulators are cutting the cost of training at sea

The Pakistani Navy vessel that collided with an Indian Navy warship in the North Arabian Sea has been identified as PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV). Indian officials said the Indian ship was on a routine surveillance mission when Hunain approached at high speed and carried out what they described as “unprofessional and unsafe” manoeuvres. India subsequently summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires on Wednesday (Sep 16) and lodged a “strong protest”.<h2>What is PNS Hunain?</h2>According to reports, the vessel, part of the second batch of Yarmook-class vessels, based on Damen’s larger OPV 2600 design, has been designed for maritime security, surveillance and combat. The ship carries the pennant number F-273 and was built by Dutch shipbuilder Damen at its facility in Galați, Romania. It was commissioned in July 2024.Hunain belongs to the second batch of the Yarmook class, alongside PNS Yamama. The first two ships, PNS Yarmook and PNS Tabuk, are based on Damen’s OPV 1900 design, while the later vessels use the larger OPV 2600 platform. The OPV 2600 variant is about 98 metres long and has a displacement of around 2,600 tonnes.<h2>What are PNS Hunain’s capabilities?</h2>It is designed for extended maritime-security missions, surveillance and other naval operations. According to Damen, the platform uses four diesel engines and two controllable-pitch propellers and can reach speeds of up to 25 knots. The vessel can also carry a helicopter, an unmanned aerial vehicle and rigid inflatable boats. It can also carry mission-specific equipment.The Yarmook-class ships are equipped for maritime surveillance and security operations, while also possessing weapons for combat roles. Hunain can reportedly carry anti-ship missiles, air-defence systems, a 30mm naval gun and machine guns.According to sources familiar with the incident, the vessel sustained “severe damage” and has returned to harbour.<h2>How did the collision happen?</h2>On Tuesday (Sep 15) evening, PNS Hunain came close to an Indian Navy frontline warship during a routine surveillance mission. India has said that the Pakistani vessel was travelling at high speed and engaging in unprofessional and unsafe manoeuvring that resulted in the collision of the two ships.In response to the incident, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, “The conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements of April 1991.”That 1991 pact requires the two nuclear-armed neighbours to give advance notice of military movements and to exercise care at sea so that exercises and patrols do not turn into incidents. India said the collision, while occurring on the high seas, breached those rules.The Pakistani chargé d’affaires was “advised to convey to the concerned Pakistani authorities the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents.”Indian sources said New Delhi’s warship suffered no major damage, no injuries and no loss of operational capability, and continued its mission. They added that the Indian Navy captain showed restraint. “Even under extreme provocation, the Indian Navy captain exercised extreme restraint by taking actions to prevent a severe accident from taking place, which could have caused serious loss of life and damage,” sources said.

PNS Hunain, Pakistan’s Yarmook-class warship, collided with an Indian Navy vessel in the North Arabian Sea. Here’s what we know about its capabilities, weapons, damage and the incident.

The Pakistani Navy vessel that collided with an Indian Navy warship in the North Arabian Sea has been identified as PNS Hunain, a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV). Indian officials said the Indian ship was on a routine surveillance mission when Hunain approached at high speed and carried out what they described as “unprofessional and unsafe” manoeuvres. India subsequently summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires on Wednesday (Sep 16) and lodged a “strong protest”. What is PNS Hunain? According to reports, the vessel, part of the second batch of Yarmook-class vessels, based on Damen’s larger OPV 2600 design, has been designed for maritime security, surveillance and combat. The ship carries the pennant number F-273 and was built by Dutch shipbuilder Damen at its facility in Galați, Romania. It was commissioned in July 2024. Hunain belongs to the second batch of the Yarmook class, alongside PNS Yamama. The first two ships, PNS Yarmook and PNS Tabuk, are based on Damen’s OPV 1900 design, while the later vessels use the larger OPV 2600 platform. The OPV 2600 variant is about 98 metres long and has a displacement of around 2,600 tonnes. What are PNS Hunain’s capabilities? It is designed for extended maritime-security missions, surveillance and other naval operations. According to Damen, the platform uses four diesel engines and two controllable-pitch propellers and can reach speeds of up to 25 knots. The vessel can also carry a helicopter, an unmanned aerial vehicle and rigid inflatable boats. It can also carry mission-specific equipment. The Yarmook-class ships are equipped for maritime surveillance and security operations, while also possessing weapons for combat roles. Hunain can reportedly carry anti-ship missiles, air-defence systems, a 30mm naval gun and machine guns. According to sources familiar with the incident, the vessel sustained “severe damage” and has returned to harbour. How did the collision happen? On Tuesday (Sep 15) evening, PNS Hunain came close to an Indian Navy frontline warship during a routine surveillance mission. India has said that the Pakistani vessel was travelling at high speed and engaging in unprofessional and unsafe manoeuvring that resulted in the collision of the two ships. In response to the incident, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, “The conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements of April 1991.” That 1991 pact requires the two nuclear-armed neighbours to give advance notice of military movements and to exercise care at sea so that exercises and patrols do not turn into incidents. India said the collision, while occurring on the high seas, breached those rules. The Pakistani chargé d’affaires was “advised to convey to the concerned Pakistani authorities the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents.” Indian sources said New Delhi’s warship suffered no major damage, no injuries and no loss of operational capability, and continued its mission. They added that the Indian Navy captain showed restraint. “Even under extreme provocation, the Indian Navy captain exercised extreme restraint by taking actions to prevent a severe accident from taking place, which could have caused serious loss of life and damage,” sources said.

PNS Hunain, Pakistan’s Yarmook-class warship, collided with an Indian Navy vessel in the North Arabian Sea. Here’s what we know about its capabilities, weapons, damage and the incident.

PNS Hunain: All you need to know about Pakistani vessel that hit Indian Navy warship

A Pakistan Navy ship involved in a collision with an Indian warship in international waters has returned to harbour after sustaining "severe damage", according to sources familiar with the incident.&nbsp;The incident took place on the evening of 15 September in the North Arabian Sea, where a Pakistani naval vessel approached a frontline Indian Navy warship at high speed while the Indian ship was on a routine surveillance mission. Indian side has described the Pakistani ship's manoeuvring as “unprofessional and unsafe manner,” resulting in a collision.&nbsp;India has summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest. The Ministry of External Affairs said the Pakistani ship’s conduct was “unacceptable and unprofessional” and in “direct contravention” of a 1991 bilateral agreement.&nbsp;Article 10 of that pact, the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements, states: “The Naval ships and submarines belonging to the other country are not to come closer than three Nautical Miles (NMs) from each other so as to avoid any accident while operating in international waters.”&nbsp;Indian sources said New Delhi’s warship suffered no major damage, no injuries and no loss of operational capability, and continued its mission. They added that the Indian Navy captain showed restraint. “Even under extreme provocation, the Indian Navy captain exercised extreme restraint by taking actions to prevent a severe accident from taking place which could have caused serious loss of life and damage,” sources said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-s-name-cannot-return-to-kennedy-center-us-judge-rules-1789493053928">Trump's name cannot return to Kennedy Center, US judge rules</a>&nbsp;Pakistan has not issued an official statement on the collision or the condition of its vessel. India instructed its envoy in Islamabad to deliver a matching protest. The chargé d’affaires in New Delhi was told to convey that military units on both sides must exercise due care and respect existing agreements to prevent a repeat.&nbsp;The incident is the first publicly acknowledged close-quarters naval encounter between the two countries since a brief but intense conflict last year. The 1991 agreement was designed as a confidence-building measure to reduce the risk of accidental clashes at sea between the nuclear-armed neighbours, whose navies routinely operate in the Arabian Sea.&nbsp;Officials in New Delhi described the collision as a breach of established safety distances rather than a deliberate attack, but warned against any recurrence. &nbsp;The latest episode has revived memories of earlier near-misses, including a 2011 standoff involving Indian and Pakistani frigates.

A Pakistani Navy ship returned to harbour with severe damage after colliding with an Indian warship in the North Arabian Sea, prompting a strong protest from New Delhi.

A Pakistan Navy ship involved in a collision with an Indian warship in international waters has returned to harbour after sustaining "severe damage", according to sources familiar with the incident. The incident took place on the evening of 15 September in the North Arabian Sea, where a Pakistani naval vessel approached a frontline Indian Navy warship at high speed while the Indian ship was on a routine surveillance mission. Indian side has described the Pakistani ship's manoeuvring as “unprofessional and unsafe manner,” resulting in a collision. India has summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest. The Ministry of External Affairs said the Pakistani ship’s conduct was “unacceptable and unprofessional” and in “direct contravention” of a 1991 bilateral agreement. Article 10 of that pact, the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements, states: “The Naval ships and submarines belonging to the other country are not to come closer than three Nautical Miles (NMs) from each other so as to avoid any accident while operating in international waters.” Indian sources said New Delhi’s warship suffered no major damage, no injuries and no loss of operational capability, and continued its mission. They added that the Indian Navy captain showed restraint. “Even under extreme provocation, the Indian Navy captain exercised extreme restraint by taking actions to prevent a severe accident from taking place which could have caused serious loss of life and damage,” sources said. Also Read: Trump's name cannot return to Kennedy Center, US judge rules Pakistan has not issued an official statement on the collision or the condition of its vessel. India instructed its envoy in Islamabad to deliver a matching protest. The chargé d’affaires in New Delhi was told to convey that military units on both sides must exercise due care and respect existing agreements to prevent a repeat. The incident is the first publicly acknowledged close-quarters naval encounter between the two countries since a brief but intense conflict last year. The 1991 agreement was designed as a confidence-building measure to reduce the risk of accidental clashes at sea between the nuclear-armed neighbours, whose navies routinely operate in the Arabian Sea. Officials in New Delhi described the collision as a breach of established safety distances rather than a deliberate attack, but warned against any recurrence. The latest episode has revived memories of earlier near-misses, including a 2011 standoff involving Indian and Pakistani frigates.

A Pakistani Navy ship returned to harbour with severe damage after colliding with an Indian warship in the North Arabian Sea, prompting a strong protest from New Delhi.

Pakistan naval vessel returns to harbour with 'severe damage' after collision with Indian warship in Arabian Sea

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches navy’s first fleet support ship

India’s virtual warships: How simulators are cutting training costs at sea

PNS Hunain: All about Pakistani vessel that hit Indian Navy warship

Pakistan Navy ship suffers 'severe damage' in collision with Indian warship