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 agreements were signed on November 2, 2026, in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi.
Under the agreements, GRSE will construct five corvettes, while GSL will build the remaining three. The project marks a milestone in India’s indigenous warship design and construction capabilities. It is the first project in which the Indian Navy will design the ships indigenously, while construction will be undertaken by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive process.
Advanced Capabilities to Strengthen Indian Navy Operations
The Next Generation Corvettes will feature advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites, allowing them to undertake missions across air, surface and sub-surface domains.
Their induction is expected to strengthen the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities in several areas, including safeguarding maritime trade routes, conducting anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations, and strengthening coastal defence.
The vessels will also undertake littoral combat operations, maritime presence and surveillance missions.
Corvette Project to Generate Employment Over Ten Years
The NGC project is expected to provide significant support to India’s indigenous shipbuilding ecosystem by strengthening collaboration among DPSUs, private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
According to the Ministry of Defence, construction of the eight corvettes is expected to generate approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment in shipyards and 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and MSMEs over the next ten years.
The project will promote the use of Made-in-India materials and equipment, indigenous technologies, and Indian skills and expertise in warship construction.
The contracts mark a step towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing and reinforce the government’s commitment to the Make in India initiative.
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