India Signs ₹53,866-Crore Deal for Eight Navy Corvettes

The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the construction of eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy. The project is expected to strengthen India’s indigenous warship-building capabilities and enhance the Navy’s operational strength across maritime domains.

The contracts were signed on Monday in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. Under the agreement, Kolkata-based GRSE will construct five corvettes, while GSL will build the remaining three vessels.

First Project With Navy’s Indigenous Design and Competitive Selection

According to the Defence Ministry, the project marks the first instance in which warships will be designed indigenously by the Indian Navy and constructed by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive bidding process.

The initiative represents a step towards strengthening India’s domestic capabilities in warship design and construction. It also expands the role of Indian shipyards in developing advanced naval platforms for the country’s maritime security requirements.

Advanced Weapons and Sensors to Strengthen Naval Capabilities

The eight Next Generation Corvettes will feature advanced missiles, weapons systems and sensor suites. These capabilities are expected to allow the vessels to conduct operations across air, surface and sub-surface domains.

The corvettes are designed to support a range of naval missions, including:

• Anti-surface warfare: Conducting operations against surface threats.
• Anti-submarine warfare: Detecting and responding to underwater threats.
• Coastal defence: Strengthening the protection of India’s coastline.
• Maritime surveillance: Monitoring maritime areas and maintaining a naval presence.
• Littoral combat: Supporting operations in coastal and near-shore waters.
• Protection of trade routes: Helping safeguard important maritime routes used for commercial shipping.

The vessels will also undertake maritime presence missions, enhancing the Indian Navy’s ability to monitor and protect the country’s maritime interests.

Project Expected to Generate Employment Over 10 Years

Beyond its military objectives, the ₹53,866.50-crore project is expected to provide a significant boost to India’s domestic shipbuilding industry. The construction programme will involve defence public sector undertakings, private shipyards, Indian industrial partners and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

According to the Defence Ministry, construction of the eight corvettes is expected to generate approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment at the shipyards over the next 10 years.

Ancillary industries and MSMEs are expected to generate around 460 lakh person-days of employment during the same period. This is expected to create opportunities across the wider industrial supply chain supporting naval shipbuilding.

Push Towards Self-Reliance in Defence Manufacturing

The project forms part of India’s broader effort to strengthen self-reliance in defence manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers for critical military platforms and equipment.

By assigning the construction of the eight corvettes to Indian defence shipyards following a competitive selection process, the government aims to expand domestic industrial participation and strengthen the country’s warship-building ecosystem.

Once inducted, the next-generation vessels are expected to contribute to maritime security, coastal defence and the protection of India’s strategic interests at sea. The project also links naval modernisation with domestic manufacturing and employment generation over the coming decade.