INS Karuva, the tenth indigenously-built fast attack craft (FAC) of the Indian Navy was commissioned by Air Marshal K.J. Mathews, Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command at the Naval Base at Visakhapatnam on August 25. Vice Admiral Anup Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and Rear Admiral (Retd) K.C. Sekhar, Chairman and Managing Director, the Garden Reach and Shipbuiding Engineers Limited (GRSE) were present on the occasion. The ceremony was also attended by several senior officers and men of the Navy along with their families.

On arrival at the Naval jetty, the chief guest was received by Vice Admiral Anup Singh. The Air Marshal was presented a Guard of Honour and introduced to the Ships Officers thereafter. Following the inaugural and keynote addresses delivered by Rear Admiral (Retd) K.C. Sekhar and Vice Admiral Anup SIngh respectively, Lieutenant Commander Manish Kumar Rai, Commanding Officer INS Karuva, read out the commissioning warrant. Hoisting of the Naval Ensign onboard for the first time and breaking of the commissioning pennant with the national anthem being played marked the formal commissioning ceremony. Air Marshal Mathews addressed the gathering on completion of the ceremony and unveiled the ship’s plaque.

Named after an island situated on a tributary of river Kabani in Kerala, INS Karuva, measuring 52 metres in length and displacing 325 tonnes, can achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots. The ship has a complement of four officers and 39 sailors. Built for extended coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol, with advanced MTU engines and latest communication sets, INS Karuva, following in the footsteps of INS Koswari commissioned earlier on July 12 this year, will also be based at Karwar, under the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Karnataka) and will be deployed for coastal patrol and anti-piracy missions along the Konkan Coast and the Lakshadweep group of islands.