The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday signed contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore with two defence public sector shipyards to build eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy.

Under the agreement, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) will construct five corvettes, while Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) will build the remaining three. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh attended the signing ceremony, which marks a major step towards strengthening indigenous warship design and manufacturing.

A corvette is a fast and manoeuvrable warship, generally smaller than frigates and destroyers. These vessels primarily operate in coastal and near-sea areas. They support coastal defence, maritime surveillance, patrolling and combat operations, including anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.

According to the MoD, this is the first project in which the Navy will design warships indigenously and select defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) for construction through a competitive process.

“The NGCs will be equipped with state-of-the-art capabilities, including advanced missiles, weapons and sensor suites, enabling them to undertake missions across the air, surface and sub-surface domains,” the statement said.

The new corvettes will strengthen the Navy's anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. They will also support coastal defence and littoral combat operations. In addition, the vessels will improve the Navy's ability to protect maritime trade routes and conduct surveillance missions.

The project will encourage the use of locally developed materials, equipment and technologies. It will also make greater use of domestic technical expertise, supporting the government's efforts to reduce dependence on imports and strengthen India's defence manufacturing sector.