Defence Ministry Seals Contracts Worth Over Rs 53,000 Crore to Procure 8 Warships for Navy

The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts worth Rs 53,866.50 crore to buy eight Next Generation Corvettes for the Indian Navy on 2nd November, 2026. The deal is a major step towards building warships in India.

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited on 2nd November 2026

On 2 November 2026, the Ministry of Defence signed two contracts: one with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and one with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). The signing took place at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. GRSE will build five corvettes, and GSL will build the remaining three. Both are Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). 

What makes the 8 Warships-for-Navy project special?

According to the Ministry, this is the first project in which ships designed in India by the Indian Navy will be built by DPSUs chosen through a competitive process. This shows growing strength in both design and construction within the country.

Why Does the Indian Navy Need Eight Next-Generation Corvettes?

A corvette is a small, fast and agile warship. It is well suited to patrolling nearby seas and guarding the coast.

What roles will these ships play?

The corvettes will carry advanced missiles, weapons and sensors, so they can operate in the air, on the surface and under water. Their main tasks will be:

• Protecting maritime trade routes
• Anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare
• Coastal defence and littoral (near-shore) combat
• Maritime presence and surveillance

How will it boost Make in India?

The project will involve DPSUs, private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The Ministry says Indian materials, equipment and technologies will support self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

How many jobs will it create?

Over the next 10 years, construction is expected to generate about 72 lakh person-days of work in shipyards and 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and MSMEs.