Indian Navy to Get 8 Next-Generation Corvettes:
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the construction of eight Next-Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy, following approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
- The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) in 2022. Under the contracts signed in 2026, GRSE, Kolkata, will construct five corvettes, while GSL, Goa, will build three.
- The corvettes will be designed by the Indian Navy and constructed by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) selected through competitive bidding, marking a significant milestone in indigenous warship construction.
- A corvette is a relatively small surface combatant, generally smaller than a frigate or destroyer.
- Equipped with advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites, the corvettes will undertake anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare (ASW), maritime surveillance, coastal defence, littoral combat and protection of maritime trade routes.
- The warships will feature stealth capabilities and advanced propulsion systems. GRSE’s reported specifications indicate a length of 127.4 metres, a displacement figure of approximately 4,950 tonnes and a maximum speed of 26 knots.
- The new corvettes will complement the Navy’s four Kamorta-class corvettes, which are primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare.
- The project will strengthen India’s maritime security and surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region, reduce operational pressure on larger warships and promote Aatmanirbhar Bharat through indigenous defence manufacturing, MSME participation and employment generation.
