LAUNCH OF FIRST NEXT GENERATION OFFSHORE PATROL VESSEL (YARD 1280, SHACHI) AT M/S GSL, GOA

• Shachi (Yard 1280) — first of 11 Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs) for the Indian Navy, launched at Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) on 31 March 2026.
• Built under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category — flagship of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in naval shipbuilding.
• Concurrent build at two yards (GSL Goa + GRSE Kolkata) under a Rs 9,781 crore contract signed 30 Mar 2023.
• UPSC relevance: indigenous defence manufacturing, maritime security architecture, IOR strategy, EEZ/coastal surveillance.