Kolkata: On the eve of Independence Day, the Indian Navy got a new advanced warship: INS Ikshak. Defence PSU, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), delivered the survey vessel (large), which is also the 113th warship built by the shipyard, to the Navy on Thursday. Cmde Arvind Chari, CSO (Tech) (South) of the Navy, accepted the warship from GRSE chairman and managing director Cmde P R Hari (retired) at a ceremony. The name, Ikshak, stands for ‘Guide’. The warship is the third in a series of four survey vessels (large) being built by GRSE. It is 110-metre-long and will join INS Sandhayak and INS Nirdeshak, the previous two warships of the series, after getting commissioned. INS Ikshak will provide the Navy vital survey data which is important for operations. The maps and charts prepared on the basis of this survey data are also used by commercial shipping. With advanced equipment on board, these warships are capable of full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic survey of port and harbour approaches apart from determining navigation channels and routes. They can undertake surveys of maritime limits and collect oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications. Each of them can carry a helicopter, participate in low-intensity combat and function as hospital ships. They are also useful for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
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