TSAMTO, November 5th. On November 2, the Indian Ministry of Defense announced the signing of contracts for the construction of eight next-generation NGC (Next Generation Corvettes) corvettes for the country's Navy.
The signing of contracts with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) took place in New Delhi in the presence of Indian Secretary of Defense Rajesh Kumar Singh.
The total cost of the order was 538.665 billion. rupees (5.7 billion dollars). Under the terms of the contracts, GRSE will build five corvettes worth about 320 billion. Rs, and GSL – the remaining three.
According to the Indian Ministry of Defense, the project is an important milestone in the development of India's national potential in the field of design and construction of warships: for the first time they will be fully designed in India, and their construction will be carried out by state defense enterprises selected on a competitive basis.
According to GRSE, the new generation corvette will be 127 m long, 17.6 m wide, have a displacement of about 4,950 tons, and have a crew of 150 people. It is assumed that the corvettes will be equipped with a combined power plant of the CODAG-CC type, with an estimated speed of up to 26 knots and autonomy of up to 14 days.
It is stated that the new generation corvettes will be equipped with modern systems, including missile systems, other weapons and detection equipment, which will allow them to carry out tasks to combat air, surface and underwater targets. The proposed weapons systems include medium-range anti-ship missiles (MRAShM), medium-range air defense systems (MRSAM) and 324-mm torpedo tubes. The weapon system will also include the 76-mm OTO Melara artillery system (SRGM), the AK-630 anti-aircraft artillery system and the 12.7-mm stabilized remotely controlled modules (SRCG). The sensor complex will include an electron-optical/infrared target search and tracking system (EOIRST) and a multifunctional detection, tracking and guidance radar (MFSTAR). The corvettes will have the capabilities to operate helicopters.
According to the expectations of the Indian Ministry of Defense, the adoption of corvettes into service will significantly expand the capabilities of the country's Navy to protect sea routes, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare, strengthen coastal defense and support combat operations in the coastal zone, as well as conducting reconnaissance.
According to unofficial data, the construction of the first corvette should begin within a year. The transfer of the lead ship to the Indian Navy is scheduled for 2030.
The NGC project should also give an impetus to the development of the Indian shipbuilding ecosystem, contributing to strengthening cooperation between state-owned defense enterprises, private shipbuilding companies and other partners, including small and medium-sized enterprises.
It is estimated that the construction of ships over 10 years will provide about 7.2 million man-days of employment in shipbuilding enterprises and 46 million man-days in related industries and small and medium-sized businesses.
According to Indian media, the new ships will be built using low-visibility technologies and a high proportion of Indian-made components (more than 70%). Through the use of Indian-made materials, equipment and technologies, as well as the involvement of national personnel and expertise, the project becomes an important step towards achieving self-sufficiency in the production of naval equipment.
The construction of corvettes is an element of a large-scale modernization program of the Indian Navy. According to the plans, by 2035 it is planned to increase the size of the fleet to 200 units. Currently, the Indian Navy has about 145 ships and submarines.
The long-term goal is also to ensure full self-sufficiency in equipping the Navy, including both the construction of the platforms themselves and equipping them with the necessary equipment to create a fleet completely independent of imports by 2047.
As reported by CAMTO, a request for information within the framework of the project for the supply of 7 new corvettes to the Indian Navy was published back in 2016.
In May 2025, following a tender, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), which offered the lowest cost of delivery, was selected as the preferred bidder for the construction of five new generation corvettes for the Indian Navy.
The Indian Government's Safety Committee finally approved the project in October 2026, increasing the number of corvettes to 8 units and dividing the order between the two companies.
