Why the launch of ICGS Samudra Pratap is a milestone in India’s maritime power. explainer news

Last updated:07 January, 2026, 11:53 IST

As the Coast Guard’s largest ship and the first indigenous pollution control ship, Samudra Pratap symbolizes a giant leap in self-reliance and marine environment protection.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday welcomed the launching of Indian Coast Guard ship Samudra Pratap, calling it a milestone in the direction of India’s strength and self-reliance.

“The commissioning of Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra Pratap is noteworthy for many reasons, including the fact that it reinforces our vision of self-reliance, boosts our security posture and reflects our commitment to stability,” he said on the occasion.

The ship was commissioned by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at Goa Shipyard Limited on 5 January 2026, formally entering service as the largest ship ever built for the Coast Guard and the country’s first indigenously designed pollution control ship.

This moment reflects both the technological ambition of India’s shipyards and the strategic need for platforms that can secure the seas, protect marine ecosystems and respond rapidly to emergencies in a vast exclusive economic zone.

Why is Samudra Pratap important for India’s maritime objectives?

India’s maritime domain has become central to its economic and security calculations. With increasing coastal activity, growing energy traffic, expanding port infrastructure and rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the demand for specialized vessels, particularly those capable of environmental response, has grown rapidly.

Samudra Pratap addresses this need directly. With a displacement of 4,170 tonnes, a length of 114.5 metres, a speed of over 22 knots and an endurance of 6,000 nautical miles, it is designed to operate over long stretches of ocean and withstand rough seas. This makes it an important asset in an area where traffic density, industrial activity and susceptibility to accidents are constantly increasing.

Why is this a milestone for self-reliant shipbuilding?

The ship symbolizes the progress made by India in indigenous shipbuilding. With over 60 per cent indigenous content, and a target to increase it to 90 per cent in future ships, it reflects a mature defense industrial ecosystem capable of handling sophisticated marine manufacturing.

Rajnath Singh described it as “the embodiment of India’s mature defense industrial ecosystem”, pointing to the way Goa Shipyard Limited has integrated modern manufacturing practices, automated systems and indigenous technologies on a single platform. The ship’s propulsion, powered by two 7,500 kW diesel engines paired with indigenously developed controllable pitch propeller and gearbox, underpins Self-reliance (Self-reliant) approach.

For the Coast Guard, which now largely services and repairs its ships and aircraft within India, Samudra Pratap represents the next step towards reducing external dependence.

How does the ship strengthen pollution response and environmental protection?

As India faces the pressures of frequent oil spills, increased offshore activity and climate change, the need for dedicated pollution control capabilities is greater than ever. Samudra Pratap has been specially designed for this role.

Its systems include side-sweeping arms, floating booms, high capacity skimmers, portable barges and a fully equipped pollution control laboratory. This enables it to perform quick detection, accurate station-keeping and efficient recovery in the event of marine pollution.

Rajnath Singh stressed that such capabilities prevent damage to coral reefs, mangroves, fisheries and biodiversity, which directly support coastal livelihoods and the blue economy.

India is one of a small group of countries with advanced environmental response ships. With the involvement of Samudra Pratap, the country’s status in this region has become higher.

What role can Samudra Pratap play beyond pollution control?

Although designed primarily for environmental response, Samudra Pratap’s multi-role capabilities allow it to perform a more comprehensive operational task.

Its onboard helicopter hangar and aviation support facilities extend its surveillance range, making it useful for EEZ patrolling and maritime domain awareness missions. It is equipped with Fi-Fi Class 1 external fire fighting systems, enabling it to respond to onboard fires or port emergencies. Integrated bridge systems, dynamic positioning capabilities and automated power management systems allow precise maneuvering, especially in high-risk environments.

Its armament—one 30 mm CRN-91 gun and two 12.7 mm stabilized remote-controlled guns—enables it in law enforcement, anti-piracy operations, and interdiction missions. In short, Samudra Pratap combines environmental protection with security, patrolling, rescue and emergency response functions.

Symbol of a ‘mature defense industrial ecosystem’

The Defense Minister used the occasion to highlight the growing role of the Coast Guard as a multidimensional force. From pollution control to coastal sanitation, from search and rescue to maritime law enforcement, the ICG is at the heart of India’s maritime governance today.

According to him, the commissioning sends a clear message that any attempt to violate India’s maritime boundaries or test its resolve will be given a “courageous and appropriate response”. The ship represents not only manufacturing maturity but also strategic intent, he said, demonstrating that India’s maritime modernization is both broad and deep.

He also stressed the need for the Coast Guard to become an intelligence-driven and integration-centric force, emerging as a proactive rather than reactionary component of maritime security.

How does this ship fit into India’s Indo-Pacific vision

Rajnath Singh framed the commissioning in the broader context of global maritime uncertainty. India, he said, is recognized as a “responsible maritime power”, a country that ensures not only its own security but also the stability of the broader Indo-Pacific.

Platforms like Samudra Pratap support this role. A clean and safe sea is vital for trade, regional cooperation, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in which India is increasingly playing a leading role. The ship will be based at Kochi under Coast Guard Region (West), keeping it close to high-density sea routes and ecologically sensitive areas.

This is in line with India’s “Grand Maritime Vision”, which sees the oceans as a shared heritage and their protection a shared responsibility.

Women officers on board: Why is this commissioning historic?

For the first time, a frontline coast guard ship has been deployed with women officers. Rajnath Singh described it as a milestone in the journey of inclusivity and gender-neutrality of the armed forces.

Women today work as pilots, air traffic controllers, observers, logistics officers and are being trained to operate hovercraft. Their deployment on Samudra Pratap marks a new phase in frontline representation and reinforces the evolving culture of the Coast Guard.

Comprehensive message on sea power and self-reliance

The commissioning of Samudra Pratap comes at a time when India is expanding its maritime responsibilities, modernizing its coastal defence, and emphasizing high indigenous content on defense platforms. The ship embodies these goals while combining environmental responsibility, strategic readiness and industrial capability on a single platform.

By starting the year with a major indigenously built ship, the government is signaling the direction of India’s maritime future: clean seas, robust surveillance, enhanced disaster response, and a defense ecosystem increasingly driven by self-reliance (self-reliance),

Samudra Pratap reflects that change. It strengthens India’s maritime reach, supports its Indo-Pacific commitments, and symbolizes how technological capability and environmental responsibility can together shape a more secure and self-reliant nation.

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