New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the acquisition of eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy.
The contracts were signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, on November 2, 2026.
Under the contracts, GRSE will construct five Next Generation Corvettes, while GSL will construct the remaining three.
The project marks a significant milestone in India’s indigenous warship design and construction capabilities.
The Next Generation Corvettes project 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 Next Generation Corvettes will be equipped with state-of-the-art capabilities, including advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites.
These capabilities will enable the ships to undertake missions across the air, surface and sub-surface domains.
The induction of the Next Generation Corvettes will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities in safeguarding maritime trade routes, conducting anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations, strengthening coastal defence, undertaking littoral combat operations, and carrying out maritime presence and surveillance missions.
The Next Generation Corvettes project will also provide a significant impetus to India’s indigenous shipbuilding ecosystem by strengthening collaboration among DPSUs, private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including MSMEs.
The construction of the NGCs is expected to generate approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment in the shipyards and 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and MSMEs over the next ten years.
By promoting the use of Made-in-India materials and equipment, indigenous technologies, and Indian skills and expertise, the Next Generation Corvettes project represents a major step towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing.
The project also reinforces Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s commitment to Make-in-India and strengthening indigenous capabilities in defence manufacturing.
GRSE and GSL to Build Eight Next Generation Corvettes
Of the eight Next Generation Corvettes being acquired for the Indian Navy, GRSE will construct five ships, while GSL will construct three.
The contracts have been awarded to the two Defence Public Sector Undertakings through a competitive process.
The project places emphasis on indigenous design and construction, with the Next Generation Corvettes being indigenously designed by the Indian Navy.
It is aimed at strengthening India’s warship design and construction capabilities while expanding the role of Indian industrial partners in defence manufacturing.
Advanced Capabilities for Indian Navy
The Next Generation Corvettes will feature advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites. The ships will be capable of undertaking operations across air, surface and sub-surface domains.
The induction of the Next Generation Corvettes will support a range of Indian Navy missions, including safeguarding maritime trade routes, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, coastal defence, littoral combat, maritime presence and surveillance.
Boost to Indigenous Shipbuilding Ecosystem
The Next Generation Corvettes project is also expected to strengthen India’s indigenous shipbuilding ecosystem. The project will promote collaboration among DPSUs, private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including MSMEs.
The construction of the Next Generation Corvettes is expected to generate around 72 lakh person-days of employment in shipyards over the next ten years.
Another 460 lakh person-days of employment are expected to be generated in ancillary industries and MSMEs during the same period.
The project will promote the use of Made-in-India materials and equipment, indigenous technologies, and Indian skills and expertise as part of efforts to strengthen Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing.
