Sandhayak-class survey ships

The Sandhayak class of survey ships is a series of eight vessels built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata and Goa Shipyard, Ltd., Vasco for the Indian Navy. The vessels are powered by two diesel engines and have a top speed of 16 kn. They have a helicopter deck and are also armed with a Bofors 40mm/60 guns for self defense.

Sandhayak-class survey ships are equipped with a range of surveying, navigational and communication systems. The ships are designed to undertake shallow coastal and deep oceanic hydrographic survey and collect oceanographic and geophysical data required for the production of digital navigational charts and publications. Besides carrying out their primary role of hydrographic survey, they can also assist in times of war and natural calamities as troop transports and casualty holding ships.