New Delhi: Two Indian shipyards are set to build eight next generation corvettes for the Indian Navy under a project worth more than ₹40,000 crore. The warships will be built using a new design developed by the Navy and are expected to strengthen India’s maritime security capabilities.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, cleared the project at a meeting on Wednesday. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Goa, will construct the eight vessels. The contracts are expected to be signed with the two state-owned shipyards in the coming days.
ANI, citing government officials, says that the first warship would be delivered to the Navy by 2030 once the deals have been inked. The two shipyards are also trying to find means by which to accelerate delivery of the ships before schedule.
The displacement of each corvette will be about 2,000 tonnes, with a speed of 30 knots (or about 56 km/h). These highly manoeuvrable and speedy ships will be constructed based on a design created internally within the Navy, employing the best available shipbuilding technology and stealth principles.
The defence ministry has described the next generation corvettes as versatile platforms designed for multiple maritime operations. Their roles will include surveillance missions, escort operations, deterrence and coastal defence. They will also undertake Surface Action Group (SAG) operations and search-and-attack missions.
The new vessels will enhance the capabilities of the Navy’s operations in the Indian Ocean Region. The multi-role design of the vessels will make it possible for them to carry out various missions in the Indian Ocean Region.
It will also aid the efforts of the government in the Sagar program , which means security and growth for all in the region. Building all eight ships in Indian yards will help further strengthen the domestic manufacture of defence equipment under the Atmanirbhar Bharat program (self-reliant India).