MoD Signs Contract for INS Betwa Refit and Eight New Naval Corvettes

The Ministry of Defence has signed a Rs 498.58 crore contract to refit INS Betwa. Separately, it awarded a Rs 53,866.50 crore contract to GRSE and GSL to construct eight Next Generation Corvettes, significantly boosting indigenous naval capabilities.

INS Betwa Propulsion and Combat System Upgrade

The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract worth Rs 498.58 crore with Cochin Shipyard Limited for the Normal Refit and Re-powering of Indian Naval Ship in Betwa. The contract was inked in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday.

According to a release, INS Betwa, a Brahmaputra-class frigate of the Indian Navy, will undergo a major propulsion system transformation, involving the replacement of its existing steam-based propulsion system with a diesel-engine-based propulsion system under the contract. The refit will also include the upgradation of its combat capabilities through the installation of a modernised weapon suite, thereby enhancing the ship's operational effectiveness.

This project will further strengthen indigenous capabilities in the ship repair and maintenance ecosystem, particularly in undertaking complex propulsion system transformation and modernisation of naval platforms. The project is expected to involve more than 50 MSMEs and generate significant employment opportunities across the Indian shipbuilding & ancillary industries. This project will provide a major impetus to the Government's vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make-in-India’, while reinforcing the country's indigenous naval ship repair and maintenance capabilities.

Construction of Next Generation Corvettes

Earlier on November 2, the Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth Rs 53,866.50 crore with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the construction of eight Next Generation Corvettes for the Indian Navy. The contracts were signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi on Monday.

Under the agreement, GRSE will construct five corvettes, while GSL will build the remaining three. The project marks an important step in India's indigenous warship design and construction capabilities, as the vessels will be designed by the Indian Navy and constructed by defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive process. The Ministry of Defence said the project would strengthen India's domestic shipbuilding ecosystem by bringing together defence public sector companies, private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

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