The steel cutting ceremony for the fifth and last of the five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) took place at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam on eight May 2026, with the Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, as the chief guest. The chairman and managing director of HSL and senior officials from the Indian Navy attended the event. The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the construction programme and underscored the partnership between the navy and the shipyard as they progress towards scheduled delivery. The Indian Navy signed a contract with HSL in August 2023 for acquisition of five FSS, with deliveries scheduled to commence in mid-2027. The programme is intended to reinforce sustainment capabilities at sea and to support prolonged deployments through underway replenishment of fuel, potable water, ammunition and stores. The contract set construction and trials milestones to be met ahead of handover to ensure operational readiness. Each ship will bolster the Indian Navy's blue water reach by providing comprehensive replenishment at sea. The vessels are designed with a displacement of more than 40,000 tonne (t) and will be capable of delivering fuel, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to enable extended operations and enhance fleet mobility. The replenishment capability will allow the fleet to maintain operational tempo and to sustain presence on distant stations for longer periods. In a secondary role, the FSS will be fitted for humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations and for non-combatant evacuation operations to allow rapid delivery of relief material and evacuation of personnel. The project has been developed with a largely indigenous design and sourcing strategy, which the ministry says will support the domestic shipbuilding industrial base and align with Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Make for the World objectives. Officials presented the indigenous approach as a means to stimulate supply chains, create skilled employment and enhance technological self-reliance in naval shipbuilding.