LAUNCH OF FIRST CADET TRAINING SHIP - KRISHNA AT M/s L&T, KATTUPALLI, CHENNAI

1. At a Glance

Yard 18003 (Krishna) is the first of three indigenously designed and built Cadet Training Ships for the Indian Navy, launched at M/s L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli (Chennai) on 16 Feb 2026 [S1].
Procured under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category — symbolises Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence shipbuilding by a private sector yard [S5][S6].
Examinable as a defence-modernisation / indigenisation milestone touching GS-III (security, defence procurement, Make-in-India).

16 Feb 2026 — Krishna (Yard 18003) launched at L&T Kattupalli by Mrs Anupama Chauhan, in the presence of General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) [S1].
Formal delivery to the Indian Navy planned by end-2026 [S1].

7 Mar 2023 — MoD signed contract with M/s L&T for three CTS; project value > ₹3,100 crore; expected to generate 22.5 lakh man-days of employment over ~4½ years [S5][S6].
29 Feb 2024 — Keel laying of first CTS (Yard 18003) at Kattupalli [S4].
3 Jun 2024 — Keel laying of second CTS (Yard 18004) [S3].
30 Dec 2024 — Keel laying of third CTS (Yard 18005) [S2].
16 Feb 2026 — Launch of first CTS, named Krishna [S1].

Class / Project: Cadet Training Ship (3-ship class), Yards 18003-18005 [S1][S2].
Lead ship: Krishna (Yard 18003) [S1].
Builder: M/s L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli, Chennai (private shipyard) [S1].
Designer: Indigenously designed by M/s L&T (not a DPSU/Navy in-house design) [S1].
Acquisition category: Buy (Indian–IDDM) — Indigenously Designed, Developed & Manufactured [S5].
Contract value: > ₹3,100 crore [S5].
Contract date: 7 March 2023, signed in presence of RM Shri Rajnath Singh [S6].
Ministry/parent: Ministry of Defence, end-user Indian Navy [S1].
Role: Sea training for Officer Cadets including women, and cadets from Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) [S1].

Strategic / Defence
Replaces ageing sail training platforms; institutionalises at-sea phase of officer training pipeline [S1].
Training of FFC cadets projects maritime soft power in the IOR [S1].
Economic / Industrial
First major warship-class order for private yard L&T under IDDM — breaks DPSU monopoly trend; 22.5 lakh man-days of employment [S5].
Strengthens MSME tier of naval shipbuilding ecosystem in Tamil Nadu.
Social / Gender
Explicitly designed to accommodate women officer cadets at sea — aligns with SC-mandated permanent commission for women in the Navy [S1].
Scientific / Technological
Indigenous design by private yard signals maturing naval architecture capability outside Naval Design Bureau & DPSUs [S1].
Administrative / Governance
Demonstrates Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 IDDM route in execution; timeline (contract Mar-23 → launch Feb-26) within ~3 years is brisk for a bespoke design [S5][S6].

3 Jun 2024 — Keel laying, 2nd CTS (Yard 18004) [S3].
30 Dec 2024 — Keel laying, 3rd CTS (Yard 18005) [S2].
16 Feb 2026 — Launch of Krishna (Yard 18003); delivery slated end-2026 [S1].

Krishna is Yard 18003, first of three Cadet Training Ships [S1].
Builder & designer: L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli (Chennai) — a private shipyard, not a DPSU [S1].
Launched on 16 Feb 2026 by Mrs Anupama Chauhan in presence of CDS Gen Anil Chauhan [S1].
Contract signed 7 Mar 2023 under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category [S5][S6].
Contract value: > ₹3,100 crore [S5].
Employment generation: 22.5 lakh man-days over ~4.5 years [S5].
Will train women officer cadets and cadets of Friendly Foreign Countries [S1].
Keel laying dates: 29 Feb 2024 (18003), 3 Jun 2024 (18004), 30 Dec 2024 (18005) [S4][S3][S2].
Formal delivery to Indian Navy: end-2026 [S1].
Parent ministry: Ministry of Defence; end user: Indian Navy [S1].

GS-III: Defence — Indigenisation of technology and developing new technology; Role of private sector in defence.
GS-II: India and its neighbourhood — training of FFC cadets as maritime diplomacy.
Possible question stems: 1. "Examine the role of private shipyards in India's naval indigenisation drive, with reference to recent IDDM-category acquisitions." 2. "Training of cadets from Friendly Foreign Countries is a low-cost, high-impact instrument of India's maritime diplomacy. Discuss." 3. "Critically assess how Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 has enabled the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, citing recent examples."

Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 — parent procurement framework for IDDM.
SAGAR & MAHASAGAR doctrines — context for FFC training & IOR outreach.
INS Tarangini / Sudarshini / Varuna — current sail training ships; predecessors in role.
Project 17A, Project 75(I), Survey Vessels (Large) – Sandhayak class — parallel L&T/private-yard naval programmes.
Women in Armed Forces (SC judgments — Babita Puniya, 2020) — links to women cadet training.
Make in India – Defence Corridors (TN & UP) — Kattupalli sits within TN defence corridor.
Indian Navy's Maritime Capability Perspective Plan (MCPP) — fleet build-up logic.

Builder confusion: Krishna is built by L&T (private), not GRSE, MDL, GSL or HSL.
Category confusion: It is Buy (Indian-IDDM), not Buy & Make (Indian) or Buy (Indian).
Role confusion: Krishna is a Cadet Training Ship, not a sail training ship like INS Tarangini, nor a survey vessel (Sandhayak class also built at Kattupalli).
Launcher vs. commissioner: The ship was launched (not commissioned) on 16 Feb 2026; commissioning follows delivery in end-2026.
Who launched: Mrs Anupama Chauhan (wife of CDS), not the CDS himself; CDS was present as chief guest.

[S1] Launch of First Cadet Training Ship - Krishna at M/s L&T, Kattupalli, Chennai — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2228944 — (tier 1)
[S2] Keel Laying of Third Cadet Training Ship (Yard 18005) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2088960 — (tier 1)
[S3] Keel Laying of the Second Cadet Training Ship (Yard-18004) at M/s L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2022624 — (tier 1)
[S4] Keel Laying of Cadet Training Ship — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2010359 — (tier 1)
[S5] Union Cabinet approves contract signing with L&T for three Cadet Training Ships, worth over Rs 3,100 crore, under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1903441 — (tier 1)
[S6] Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Contracts for procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft from HAL & three Cadet Training Ships from L&T signed in presence of RM Rajnath Singh — https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1904828 — (tier 1)