Why it is in the news
On 18 September 2026, the keel of the first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) for the Indian Navy was laid at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi. Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, was chief guest. The Ministry of Defence said the vessels will carry state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, and that all major role-defining equipment will be indigenously developed and manufactured.
The exam angle
Issue: Can India's warship programmes deliver modern, indigenously designed combatants fast enough to recapitalise an ageing fleet and keep pace with a growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean?