The keel of the Indian Navy's first Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) has been laid at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi, Kerala. Keel laying is the formal start of a warship's construction on the building berth. The NGMV class is intended to strengthen the Navy's surface strike capability with missile-armed vessels. The project adds to the growing list of warships being built at Indian shipyards, supporting self-reliance in defence shipbuilding.