Central govt clears Rs 40,000 crore plan for 8 stealth warships; first expected by 2030

The central government has approved a project worth more than Rs 40,000 crore to build eight next-generation corvettes for the Indian Navy, with construction to be shared by two public sector shipyards. The warships, designed in India for surveillance, coastal defence and combat duties, are expected to begin joining the Navy's fleet from 2030.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the proposal at its meeting on Wednesday. Contracts for the eight ships were likely to be signed in the coming days with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), news agency ANI reported quoting officials.

Two Indian shipyards to build eight Navy corvettes

The order is set to be divided between the two government-owned shipbuilders. GRSE is expected to construct five corvettes, while Goa Shipyard will build the remaining three.

What will the next-generation corvettes be capable of?

The new corvettes are expected to displace about 2,000 tonnes each and reach speeds of roughly 30 knots, or 30 nautical miles an hour. Corvettes are smaller than destroyers and frigates but can perform a range of combat and patrol duties.

The Navy has developed a new design for the ships, which are expected to incorporate stealth features intended to make them more difficult to detect. The vessels will be built using modern shipbuilding technology.

According to the Defence Ministry, the corvettes are planned for surveillance, escort missions, deterrence, coastal defence and search-and-attack operations. They will also be able to operate as part of a surface action group, in which warships work together to carry out a naval mission.

These duties would allow the Navy to deploy the vessels for different tasks, from watching coastal approaches to supporting other ships at sea.

Part of wider naval expansion

The approval comes as the Indian Navy continues to expand its fleet amid growing strategic competition in the Indian Ocean region. The Navy has been inducting new destroyers, frigates, submarines, aircraft carriers and patrol vessels under ongoing indigenous construction programmes.

Indian Navy expects first new corvette by 2030

The Navy is likely to receive the first corvette by 2030 under the project, which was initially cleared in June 2022, when the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the need for the vessels at an estimated cost of Rs 36,000 crore.

The Defence Ministry has linked the ships to India's SAGAR policy, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region and focuses on cooperation and security at sea. Once delivered, the corvettes will add to the Navy's options for patrol and combat missions in the Indian Ocean region.

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