Next Generation Corvette Project to Boost India’s Indigenous Shipbuilding Ecosystem, Generate Over 532 Lakh Person-Days of Employment: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister highlights the project’s role in strengthening collaboration among DPSUs, private shipyards, MSMEs and Indian industrial partners, while advancing Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has described the Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) project for the Indian Navy as a major boost to India’s indigenous shipbuilding ecosystem, highlighting its potential to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and generate large-scale employment opportunities across the country.

In a statement shared through his official social media handle, the Defence Minister said the project would provide significant momentum to India’s shipbuilding sector by fostering greater collaboration among Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), private shipyards and Indian industrial partners, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Highlighting the project’s employment potential, Rajnath Singh stated that the construction of these warships is expected to generate approximately 72 lakh person-days of employment in shipyards and 460 lakh person-days in ancillary industries and MSMEs over the next ten years. This amounts to an estimated 532 lakh person-days of employment across the shipbuilding and associated industrial ecosystem.

The Defence Minister further emphasised that the project would promote the extensive use of Made-in-India materials, equipment, indigenous technologies and Indian technical skills and expertise. This would strengthen domestic supply chains, encourage industrial participation and create new opportunities for Indian manufacturers and technology partners.

According to Rajnath Singh, the Next Generation Corvettes project represents an important step towards achieving Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence manufacturing. It also reinforces Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to the Make in India initiative by expanding indigenous capabilities in the strategically important naval shipbuilding sector.

The project is expected to contribute not only to strengthening the Indian Navy’s capabilities but also to creating a robust domestic industrial ecosystem, promoting technological advancement and generating employment opportunities across multiple sectors.