Boost for the Indian Navy! The Ministry of Defence is poised to approve a massive Rs 70,000 crore contract for the construction of new warships for the
Indian Navy
. These state-of-the-art stealth frigates will be the most technologically advanced vessels to be built in India and are a continuation of the Nilgiri class currently under construction.
The advanced frigates will feature a high level of indigenous content, including locally developed fire control systems, Brahmos cruise missiles, anti-submarine weapons and electronic warfare systems.
Sources told ET’s Manu Pubby that the leading contenders for the contract, classified as Project 17B, are the government-owned shipyards
Mazagon Dockyards Limited
(MDL) and
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(GRSE).
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Both yards are presently building frigates under Project 17A (Nilgiri class), with MDL constructing four and GRSE executing an order for three. The defence ministry‘s decision on the project may involve splitting the order between the two yards, as was done for Project 17A, to expedite delivery timelines for the Indian Navy.
This order will provide a significant boost to numerous sub-suppliers and vendors who will receive a substantial portion of the work.
MDL, one of India’s most advanced shipyards, is likely to see its already substantial order book grow further with this contract. The Mumbai-based yard is currently building the Kalvari class submarines, Project 17A class frigates, and has recently completed construction of Project 15B class destroyers.
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Additionally, MDL is expected to sign a contract for three more Kalvari class submarines within the current financial year, with an estimated value of around Rs 35,000 crore. These new submarines will be larger and more advanced than the six Kalvari class submarines already built by the yard.
Meanwhile, GRSE is currently constructing next-generation offshore patrol vessels and anti-submarine warfare corvettes. The Kolkata-based yard has also recently secured export orders and has several more in the pipeline.
