Defence Ministry Indian Navy Contracts: Rs 53,866 cr deal for 8 indigenous next-gen warships

Under the agreement, GRSE will build five corvettes, while GSL will construct the remaining three vessels. The project marks a significant milestone in India's indigenous warship design and construction programme, with the ships to be designed by the Indian Navy and built by defence public sector undertakings selected through a competitive process. This is the first project in which the Indian Navy will undertake the indigenous design of the warships, while the construction responsibility has been assigned to DPSUs through a competitive selection process.

The vessels are expected to strengthen the Indian Navy's capabilities in anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, coastal defence and littoral combat operations. They will also support maritime surveillance and presence missions, as well as help safeguard critical maritime trade routes. The induction of the new-generation warships is expected to enhance the Navy's ability to respond to emerging maritime security challenges and undertake a wider range of operational missions.

Project to generate 72 lakh person-days of employment in shipyards The project is expected to provide a major boost to India's domestic shipbuilding ecosystem by strengthening collaboration between defence public sector undertakings, private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including 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 in the shipyards over the next 10 years.

Ancillary industries and MSMEs are expected to generate another 460 lakh person-days of employment during the same period. The programme is also expected to create business opportunities across the domestic supply chain, with Indian companies participating in the production and supply of materials, equipment and technologies required for the warships. The programme is expected to strengthen domestic capabilities in warship construction and support the government's broader push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

By involving Indian shipyards, industrial partners and MSMEs, the project is expected to deepen the domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem while expanding India's indigenous warship-building capabilities.