The construction of vessels was ordered in April 1990 and these ships are half-sisters to seven units in the
Indian Navy. A total of twelve were originally planned and then cut to six. The vessels are intended for offshore patrol duties for the protection of oil platforms and the Indian
exclusive economic zone. The vessels in this class are long with a
beam of . They are powered by two Kirloskar-SEMT-Pielstick diesel engines () driving two propellers and have a range at a cruising speed of . The
Samar-class ships feature an Integrated Bridge System (IBS), Integrated Machinery Control System (IMCS), high power External Fire Fighting System, two Indian-built 30 mm gun mounts and one
76 mm OTO Melara dual-purpose gun. Besides, the ships are provided with a
BEL-made onboard day/night infrared surveillance system to detect elusive targets which can evade radar detection due to their small
radar cross-section (RCS) or higher sea state.
Capability Each ship carries a single
Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), with dedicated hangar and flight deck, and five high speed boats. The vessels also have towing capacity for salvage and
Inmarsat satellite communications. They have accommodation for a crew of 12 officers and 112 enlisted sailors. Additional accommodation has also been provided for passengers. == Operational history ==