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India has signed contracts worth INR 538.8 billion ($5.7 billion) with two domestic shipbuilders on November 2, 2026, to construct eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to modernize its fleet and strengthen its maritime capabilities.

The contracts were signed with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), responsible for building five and three vessels, respectively.

The new corvettes will be designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface operations, air defense and coastal protection. Equipped with advanced missiles, radar and sensor systems, the ships will replace aging single-role corvettes and provide the Indian Navy with more versatile platforms capable of operating across air, surface and underwater domains.

The Indian Ministry of Defense said the project represents a significant milestone in the country’s indigenous warship design and construction capabilities. It is the first program in which the Indian Navy has designed the vessels itself, with construction assigned to state-owned shipyards through a competitive selection process rather than direct nomination.

GRSE and Goa Shipyard to Build Eight Corvettes

Under the agreements, GRSE will construct five vessels, while GSL will build the remaining three. GRSE emerged as the lowest bidder for the project, which was initially planned for seven ships before the number was increased to eight following approval by the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) in June 2022. The Cabinet Committee on Security granted final clearance on October 28, 2026.

The project, known as the Next Generation Corvette program, was first introduced through a Request for Information in 2016. The initial requirements included at least eight surface-to-surface missiles and a towed-array sonar, alongside other weapons and surveillance equipment.

The corvettes will be high-speed, stealth-oriented combatants with a reported deadweight tonnage of approximately 4,950 tonnes. According to GRSE, each vessel will measure about 127.4 meters in length and 17.6 meters in width, with a maximum speed of 26 knots. Each ship will operate with a crew of 150 personnel, including 11 officers and 139 sailors.

Construction will involve both shipyards working with private-sector partners to accelerate production. The first vessels are expected to be launched in late 2029, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2031.

Advanced Missile and Sensor Systems

The new corvettes will carry a comprehensive weapons package designed to support both offensive and defensive naval operations. Their planned armament includes medium-range anti-ship missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAMs), 324 mm torpedo tubes, and a 76 mm OTO Melara Super Rapid Gun Mount. The ships will also feature an AK-630 close-in weapon system (CIWS) for protection against incoming threats and 12.7 mm stabilized remotely controlled guns.

For air defense, each corvette is expected to carry 16 MRSAMs installed in two eight-cell vertical launch systems. The sensor suite will include an electro-optical infrared search and track system and a Multi-Function Surveillance, Track and Guidance Radar (MFSTAR), providing detection, tracking and targeting capabilities against multiple types of threats.

The vessels could also become among the first Indian Navy surface combatants equipped with the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Naval Anti-Ship Missile, Medium Range (NASM-MR). The turbojet-powered missile is being developed for naval operations, with its maiden flight test successfully conducted in June 2026. Its potential integration would strengthen India’s domestic naval weapons capabilities, although the final missile configuration of the corvettes has not been officially confirmed.

A design rendering presented during the contract-signing ceremony appears to show multiple inclined missile launchers amidships. Naval News has assessed that the arrangement could accommodate up to 16 Medium Range Anti-Ship Missiles (MRAShMs). However, the precise configuration and number of launchers have yet to be officially confirmed.

The corvettes will use a Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine-Cross-Connect (CODAG-CC) propulsion system driving two controllable-pitch propellers. Each vessel will also have a hangar capable of accommodating a helicopter or an unmanned aerial vehicle, extending its surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Wider Naval Modernization Program

The corvette contracts form part of India’s broader effort to expand its naval fleet and strengthen its ability to protect maritime trade routes and coastal waters.

Approximately 90% of India’s trade by volume moves through maritime routes, while the country has a coastline stretching more than 11,000 kilometers. Protecting these routes and maintaining a stronger presence across the Indian Ocean and wider Indo-Pacific have therefore become major priorities for the Indian Navy.

The expansion is also taking place amid China’s growing naval presence in the Indo-Pacific and Pakistan’s expanding military cooperation with Beijing. Indian Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi said in February that the country aims to build a fleet of more than 200 ships by 2035. The Navy currently operates approximately 145 ships and submarines.

Another major element of the modernization effort is India’s planned acquisition of six advanced conventional submarines through an approximately $8 billion partnership with Germany. The program involves German shipbuilder Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) working with India’s state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited to construct the submarines domestically.

The vessels are expected to feature air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology, allowing them to remain underwater for longer periods without surfacing. This capability would improve their endurance and make them particularly suitable for extended patrols in strategically important Indo-Pacific waters.

The proposed submarine agreement has advanced on the German side. In September, German Ambassador to India Jasper Wieck said the relevant documents had been finalized and that Germany had agreed to the arrangement, adding that the remaining steps depended on India’s internal approval processes.

Rafale Marine Aircraft Begin Carrier Trials

India is also strengthening its naval aviation capabilities through the acquisition of 26 French Rafale Marine fighter aircraft. On October 29, a Rafale Marine aircraft landed for the first time aboard India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, marking an important milestone in the carrier compatibility trials.

The development follows an approximately $7.5 billion agreement signed with France 18 months earlier for 22 fighter aircraft and four trainer aircraft. The trials are intended to establish the aircraft’s compatibility with INS Vikrant’s launch and recovery systems, which differ from those used on French aircraft carriers.

The Indian Navy described the ongoing trials as the first steps toward bringing the aircraft into operational service. Once inducted, the Rafale Marine fighters will operate alongside the Navy’s existing Russian-made MiG-29K aircraft, providing modern multirole strike capabilities across India’s aircraft carrier fleet.

Additional Destroyer and Amphibious Ship Programs

Beyond the corvettes, India is preparing additional surface warship projects as part of its longer-term naval expansion. These include plans for four Next Generation Destroyers (NGDs), each expected to have a displacement of approximately 10,000 tons.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted in-principle approval on October 26, 2026, for additional major naval platforms designed and constructed domestically. Reports have suggested that the approval could cover the four destroyers, although the government has not formally confirmed this.

India is also moving forward with plans to acquire four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), large amphibious vessels designed to transport troops, vehicles and equipment while supporting landing operations. In October, the Indian Navy’s Vice Chief disclosed that requests for proposals had been issued to selected shipyards for their construction. Spain’s Navantia has partnered with Indian company Larsen and Toubro (L&T) to compete for the program, which received Defense Acquisition Council approval in October 2025.

Together, the corvette, submarine, carrier-based aviation, and additional surface warship programs reflect India’s effort to develop a larger and more technologically capable navy. The eight new corvettes will add modern multirole combatants to the fleet while expanding domestic shipbuilding capacity and strengthening the country’s ability to conduct operations across the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific.