The Indian Ministry of Defence has finalised contracts valued at Rs 53,866.50 crore for the construction of eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy. These agreements were signed in New Delhi, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in attendance. The construction will be undertaken by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), which will build five of the corvettes.

Meanwhile, Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) will be responsible for the remaining three. This initiative marks a significant milestone, as it is the first instance where the vessels have been designed internally by the Indian Navy. The construction will be carried out by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive bidding process.

The project was initially presented to the Defence Acquisition Council in June 2022, with an estimated cost of approximately Rs 36,000 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the project shortly before the signing, with a reported cost exceeding Rs 40,000 crore.

Specifications of the Next Gen Corvettes

Corvettes are traditionally the smallest class of warships, ranging from 500 to 2,000 tonnes, primarily designed for coastal patrol and quick attack missions. However, the new NGCs exceed these specifications, boasting a displacement of between 3,800 and 4,000 tonnes, placing them in the category of smaller frigates.

These vessels are expected to achieve speeds exceeding 30 knots and possess a range of 4,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 14 knots, accommodating 160 sailors and 21 officers. The armament of the NGCs includes a 76 mm super rapid gun mount manufactured by BHEL, eight surface-to-surface missiles, 24 anti-missile defence systems, and two triple 324 mm torpedo tubes.

The ships will also be equipped with advanced sensor systems, including surface, air, and fire-control radars, an infrared search and track system, a hull-mounted sonar, an active towed array sonar, and a sophisticated combat management system. This combination of features enables the vessels to operate effectively across air, surface, and sub-surface domains.

The new corvettes will replace the ageing Khukri-class corvettes, with only INS Kuthar and INS Khanjar still in active service, alongside four Kora-class vessels. Their operational roles will encompass safeguarding maritime trade routes, conducting anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, providing coastal defence, engaging in littoral combat, and undertaking surveillance missions.

Defence Manufacturing and Employment

The Ministry of Defence has highlighted the broader industrial implications of this project. The construction of the NGCs is projected to generate approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment within the shipyards and an additional 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) over the next decade.

With an emphasis on utilising indigenous materials, equipment, and technology, this programme is being positioned as a significant step towards achieving Aatmanirbharta, or self-reliance, in defence manufacturing. The first of the eight corvettes is scheduled for delivery by 2030, indicating a lengthy timeline ahead for the project.

This contract resolves a critical question that the Indian Navy has been contemplating for the past four years: whether an Indian design, coupled with the capabilities of public sector shipyards, can successfully deliver a frigate-sized warship at scale. As the Indian Navy embarks on this ambitious project, it aims to enhance its operational capabilities while fostering domestic defence production, thereby contributing to the overall security and strategic interests of the nation.

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