New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a ₹498.58 crore contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the Normal Refit and Re-powering of Indian Naval Ship INS Betwa, a Brahmaputra-class frigate of the Indian Navy.
The contract was signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi on November 11, 2026.
Under the contract, INS Betwa will undergo a major propulsion system transformation, involving the replacement of its existing steam-based propulsion system with a diesel-engine-based propulsion system.
The project will also include an upgrade of the warship’s combat capabilities through the installation of a modernised weapon suite, aimed at enhancing its operational effectiveness.
The INS Betwa refit and re-powering project is expected to strengthen India’s indigenous capabilities in naval ship repair and maintenance, particularly in handling complex propulsion system transformations and modernisation of naval platforms.
The project is also expected to involve more than 50 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), generating significant employment opportunities across India’s shipbuilding and ancillary industries.
The ₹498.58 crore INS Betwa modernisation project will provide further impetus to the Government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’.
It will also reinforce the country’s domestic capabilities in naval ship repair, maintenance and modernisation.
By undertaking the complex propulsion system transformation domestically, the project is expected to strengthen the indigenous ship repair ecosystem and expand the capabilities of Indian shipyards and associated industries in servicing advanced naval platforms.
