India's Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth INR538.67 billion ($5.69 billion) in New Delhi on Monday, November 2, for eight next-generation corvettes (NGC) for the Indian Navy.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) will build five of the ships and Goa Shipyard (GSL) three, to an indigenous design supplied by the navy. The ministry said this is its first project to pair navy-designed warships with construction by defence public sector undertakings chosen through competition.
In a regulatory disclosure, GRSE valued its five-ship order at INR320 billion. The order is to be completed within nine years and four months of the first-stage payment. GRSE emerged as the lowest bidder for the programme in 2025.
The ministry said the corvettes will be assigned missions for anti-surface operations and warfare against submarines, alongside coastal defence, littoral combat, surveillance and keeping maritime trade routes safe.
GRSE said the vessels will have a length of 127 metres, a beam of 17.6 metres, a deadweight tonnage of 4,950 and a maximum speed of 26 knots.
Propulsion will be combined diesel and gas turbine–cross-connect (CODAG-CC) driving two controllable-pitch propellers. The ships will have helicopter-operating capabilities and accommodation for 11 officers and 139 sailors.
The proposed armament includes medium-range anti-ship missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM), 324mm torpedo tubes, an OTO Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun and an AK-630 close-in weapon system.
The two yards already share the navy's 11-ship next generation offshore patrol vessel programme, under which GSL is building seven ships and GRSE four.