GRSE will build five corvettes and Goa Shipyard three under the Rs 53,866.50 crore contracts. The project is expected to generate more than 5.3 crore person-days of employment over 10 years
India is taking a new route to building its warships. For the first time, state-run shipyards selected through competitive bidding will construct vessels designed entirely in-house by the Indian Navy, under contracts worth Rs 53,866.50 crore for eight next-generation corvettes.
The Ministry of Defence on Monday signed the contracts with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) on November 2. Under the agreements, GRSE will construct five Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs), while GSL will build the remaining three.
The construction programme is expected to generate more than 5.3 crore person-days of employment over the next 10 years across shipyards and allied industries.
According to the Defence Ministry, the project will generate around 72 lakh person-days of employment at the shipyards and another 460 lakh person-days across ancillary industries and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
What will India’s next-generation corvettes do?
The eight warships will be equipped with advanced missiles, weapons systems and sensors. These capabilities will allow them to undertake operations across surface, underwater and other maritime domains.
Their primary roles will include anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, coastal defence and maritime surveillance.
The vessels are expected to strengthen the Navy’s ability to monitor maritime activity, detect potential threats and protect important sea routes. They will also support India’s operational presence in the strategically important Indian Ocean region.
Corvettes are relatively compact surface combatants, generally smaller than frigates and destroyers. However, modern corvettes can carry sophisticated weapons, surveillance equipment and sensors, allowing them to perform multiple combat and maritime security roles.