The Indian government has placed orders worth ₹53,866.50 crore for eight Next Generation Corvettes for the Indian Navy, strengthening the country’s maritime capabilities and domestic warship construction sector. The Ministry of Defence signed the contracts on 2 November 2026 at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh present. GRSE has been assigned the construction of five vessels, while GSL will build three. The project is a milestone in indigenous naval procurement, as the corvettes have been designed by the Indian Navy and awarded to Defence Public Sector Undertakings through a competitive process. Equipped with advanced missiles, modern weapon systems and sophisticated sensor suites, the vessels will be capable of conducting operations across air, surface and underwater environments. They are expected to undertake anti-surface and anti-submarine missions, coastal defence, littoral combat, surveillance and maritime patrols, contributing to the protection of critical trade routes and India’s maritime interests. The programme will also support wider industrial development by encouraging collaboration among public-sector shipbuilders, private shipyards and MSMEs. Its construction activities are expected to create approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment within shipyards and a further 460 lakh person-days in associated industries over the next ten years. The emphasis on locally produced materials, technologies, equipment and expertise is intended to increase indigenous content and strengthen the domestic defence supply chain. The corvette programme therefore supports the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India priorities while improving the Navy’s operational reach, maritime security role and long-term readiness.
