India taps two domestic shipbuilders for $5.7B corvette program

SINGAPORE — India has signed a contract with two local shipbuilders to build eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for its navy, the country’s defense ministry announced Monday. 

The Indian government awarded Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) a contract valued at 53,866.50 crore Indian rupees (approximately US $5.7 billion) to build five and three corvettes, respectively. A crore is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to 10 million.

The corvettes will feature advanced missiles, weapons and sensor systems, allowing the ships to engage threats in the air, on the surface and underwater, according to the ministry.

“The induction of these ships will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities in safeguarding maritime trade routes, conducting anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations, strengthening coastal defence, undertaking littoral combat operations, and carrying out maritime presence and surveillance missions,” the ministry said in its announcement.

The ministry described the contract award as a “significant milestone,” noting that it marks the first project in which the Indian navy will design the ships and government-owned shipyards — known as Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) — will build them after being selected through a competitive process.

Both GRSE and GSL are majority owned by the Indian government. 

GRSE said in its own announcement that the corvettes “will measure 127 metres in length and 17.6 metres in beam, with a specified deadweight tonnage of 4,950 tonnes” and will be operated by a crew of 150, including 11 officers and 139 sailors.  

The company added that the ships will be powered by a combined diesel and gas turbine–cross connect (CODAG-CC) propulsion arrangement driving two controllable-pitch propellers (CPP), giving them a top speed of 26 knots. The ships will be able to remain at sea for up to 14 days without replenishments.

The shipbuilder also provided further details on the corvettes’ planned equipment, stating that they will be armed with indigenous Medium Range Anti-Ship Missiles (MRAShM — although this weapon has also been called the Naval Anti-Ship Missile or NASM-MR), MRSAM medium-range surface-to-air missiles and 324mm torpedo tubes.

Other onboard weapons include the Leonardo 76mm Super Rapid naval gun, Russian AK-360 close-in weapon systems and 12.7mm remote weapon stations.

The corvettes will also feature electro-optical infrared search-and-track systems and multifunction surveillance, tracking and guidance radars — although neither the ministry nor the shipbuilders have identified the specific systems selected.