NE DEFENCE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, NOV 2

India’s drive to build a stronger, self-reliant maritime defence capability has received a major boost, with the Ministry of Defence signing contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore for eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy. Beyond adding modern warships to the fleet, the landmark programme places indigenous naval design, domestic shipbuilding expertise and a broad industrial ecosystem at the heart of the country’s maritime security ambitions.

  • GRSE to build five warships and GSL three under contracts signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh
  • First-of-its-kind project: Indian Navy to indigenously design the vessels, with shipyards selected through competitive bidding
  • Advanced missiles, weapons and sensors to strengthen air, surface and underwater combat capabilities
  • Project expected to generate 72 lakh person-days of employment in shipyards and 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and MSMEs over 10 years

The contracts were signed with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi on Monday.

Under the agreement, GRSE will construct five corvettes, while GSL will build the remaining three.

The programme marks a significant milestone in India’s indigenous warship design and construction capabilities. For the first time, the ships will be designed indigenously by the Indian Navy and built by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive process.

The Next Generation Corvettes will feature advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites, giving them the capability to undertake missions across the air, surface and sub-surface domains.

Their induction is expected to enhance the Navy’s operational capabilities in protecting maritime trade routes, conducting anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, strengthening coastal defence, undertaking littoral combat operations, and maintaining maritime presence and surveillance across strategically important waters.

A major boost to the domestic defence industry

The project is also expected to generate substantial economic activity across India’s shipbuilding and manufacturing sectors. It will strengthen collaboration among defence public sector shipyards, private shipbuilders, Indian industrial partners and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Over the next decade, construction of the eight corvettes is expected to generate approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment in the shipyards and another 460 lakh person-days across ancillary industries and MSMEs.

The programme will promote the use of Made-in-India materials, equipment and indigenous technologies, while drawing upon Indian engineering skills and industrial expertise.

The contracts thus represent a significant step in the pursuit of Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing and the government’s Make in India initiative, while seeking to expand the country’s domestic capacity to design, build and equip sophisticated naval platforms.