Defence ministry signs ₹53,867 crore deals for 8 next-generation Navy corvettes

The defence ministry on Monday signed contracts worth ₹53,867 crore with two public sector yards to boost the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities with eight next-generation corvettes, the defence ministry said.

In a boost for the self-reliance drive, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) will build and supply five of the warships, while Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) will handle the remaining three.

The two contracts were signed in the presence of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

“The project marks a significant milestone in India’s indigenous warship design and construction capabilities as it is the first project in which the ships will be indigenously designed by the Indian Navy and constructed by defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive process,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The corvettes will be equipped with modern capabilities, including advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites, enabling them to undertake missions across the air, surface and sub-surface domains.

Also Read:Crowd targets, hotels, rehearsals: How Congress mobilised supporters at Ramlila Maidan

“Great news for India’s indigenous shipbuilding ecosystem. The next-generation corvettes (NGCs) project for the Indian Navy will provide a significant impetus to India’s shipbuilding sector by strengthening collaboration among DPSUs, private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including MSMEs,” defence minister Rajnath Singh wrote on X.

The development comes as the navy works towards full self-reliance by 2047 when India celebrates 100 years of independence.

Inducting these warships will significantly enhance the navy’s operational capabilities in safeguarding maritime trade routes, conducting anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, strengthening coastal defence, undertaking littoral combat operations, and carrying out maritime presence and surveillance missions, the defence ministry said.

The construction of these warships is expected to generate 72 lakh person-days of employment in the shipyards and 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and MSMEs over the next ten years, it added.

“By promoting the use of Made-in-India materials and equipment, indigenous technologies, and Indian skills and expertise, the project represents a major step towards achieving Atmanirbharta in defence manufacturing and reinforces the government’s commitment to Make-in-India.”

Indigenisation remains a key government priority.

Last week, the defence acquisition council approved military purchases worth ₹2.12 lakh crore to bolster the military’s combat readiness, covering next-generation destroyers, additional K9 Vajra-T artillery guns, high-mobility vehicles, helicopters, air defence systems and a range of unmanned platforms including kamikaze drones.

Also Read:Ex-Army employee arrested in Bengal on charges of working for Pakistan’s ISI

The destroyers will possess modern-day warfare capabilities and enhance the combat capability of the navy. The defence ministry did not specify the numbers, but the navy’s last batch of Project-15B warships comprised four destroyers.

The corvette contracts come weeks after Singh launched Surya, India’s first indigenous fleet support ship (FSS), at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd in Visakhapatnam, the first of five such vessels being built at a cost of ₹19,000 crore to boost the navy’s reach and endurance. A warship’s launch marks a significant milestone in its construction, referring to the vessel entering the water for the first time.