INS Sharda

INS Sharda sailing between Androth and Agatti Island
History
India
Name	Sharda
Builder	Hindustan Shipyard Limited
Launched	22 August 1990
Commissioned	27 October 1991
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class & type	Sukanya-class patrol vessel[1]
Displacement	1,890 tons (full load)[1]
Length	101 m (331 ft 4 in)
Beam	11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	2 × diesel engines, 12,800 bhp (9,540 kW), 2 shafts
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h)
Range	7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement	70
Sensors & processing systems	1 × Racal Decca 2459 search radar 1 BEL 1245 navigation radar
Armament	1 × 40 mm, 60 cal. Bofors anti-aircraft gun 2 × 12.7 mm machine guns 2 x 25 mm, 80 cal. anti-aircraft guns
Aircraft carried	1 HAL Chetak

INS Sharda (P55) is a Sukanya-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy.^[1][2]

Operations

On 17 May 2017, the ship rescued a Liberian registered merchant vessel, MV Mountbatten, from pirates while on patrol in the Gulf of Aden.^[3]

2024 Anti-piracy patrols

On 2 February 2024, Shardha' thwarted another piracy attempt off the Somali coast and rescued an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel (FV) and its crew of 11 Iranians and 8 Pakistanis.^[4] Indian Navy's remotely piloted aircraft located FV 'Omari', and Sharda, deployed for an anti-piracy mission in the region, was diverted to intercept the boat. Omari had been boarded by seven pirates who had taken the crew as hostages using her integral helicopter and boats, the ship coerced the pirates for safe release of crew along with the vessel.^[5][6][7][8]

On 6 April 2024, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar awarded 'On the Spot Unit Citation' to Sharda for its anti piracy operation off the Eastern coast of Somalia on 2 February 2024.^[9]

The ship participated in the eighth edition of Exercise Ekatha, an annual bilateral eercise between the Indian Navy and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), which was conducted between November and December 2025 for 30 days until 16 December. The exercise included MARCOS and MNDF Marine Corps. The closing ceremony held at MNDF Central Area Command, Kadhdhoo, was attended by the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti.^[10][11]

References

1. "Surface Ships -->Offshore Patrol Vessels-->Sukanya Class". indiannavy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
2. "Sukanya Class, Saryu Class | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
3. "Indian Navy rescues merchant vessel from pirates in Gulf of Aden". Retrieved 17 May 2017.
4. "INS Sharda Awarded on the Spot Unit Citation for Anti Piracy Operations". Bru Times News.
5. "Indian Navy rescues fishing vessel with Pakistani nationals from pirate attack". India Today. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
6. "Indian Navy foils another piracy attempt off Somalia coast; 11 Iranian, 8 Pak nationals rescued". Hindustan Times. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
7. "Navy foils piracy bid, rescues 8 Pakistanis among 19 - Rediff.com". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
8. "SWIFT RESPONSE BY MISSION DEPLOYED INDIAN NAVAL PLATFORMS FOIL ANOTHER PIRACY ATTEMPT ALONG EAST COAST OF SOMALIA". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
9. "INS SHARDA AWARDED ON THE SPOT UNIT CITATION FOR ANTI PIRACY OPERATIONS". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
10. "DCNS visit to Maldives closing ceremony of Exercise Ekatha - 2025" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
11. @indiannavy (16 December 2025). "Closing Ceremony of 8th edition of Exercise Ekatha held at MNDF Central Area Command, Kadhdhoo..." (Tweet). Retrieved 17 December 2025 – via Twitter.