India Clears Rs 40000 Crore Project for 8 Next-Generation Corvettes for the Navy

The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has cleared a project worth more than Rs 40,000 crore to build eight next-generation corvettes for the Indian Navy, in a major boost to the country’s naval strength and domestic defence manufacturing. The clearance was given at a meeting held on Wednesday, and contracts for the warships are expected to be signed in the next few days. The eight vessels will be built by two state-owned shipyards. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata will construct five of the corvettes, after emerging as the lowest bidder when commercial bids were opened in May 2025, while Goa Shipyard Limited will build the remaining three at a matching unit price. The first vessel is targeted for delivery by 2030, with efforts under way to speed up construction timelines. Next-generation corvettes are highly adaptable, multi-role warships designed to carry out a range of maritime security missions across the Indian Ocean Region. The new ships will strengthen the Navy’s surface fleet and give it greater operational flexibility at a time when sea routes and coastal security carry growing strategic importance for India. The Defence Acquisition Council had granted Acceptance of Necessity for the eight corvettes in June 2022, when the project was valued at around Rs 36,000 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Security clearance removes the final major hurdle before contracts are signed, and the project is among the largest recent warship-building clearances for the Navy. The decision also supports the Prime Minister’s SAGAR vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region, and fits the government’s push for self-reliance in defence production. Building the warships at Indian shipyards keeps high-value manufacturing, skilled jobs and shipbuilding expertise within the country, instead of relying on foreign suppliers for frontline naval platforms.