Cabinet Committee on Security Clears 40000 Crore Rupee Project for Eight Next-Generation Corvettes

The Cabinet Committee on Security approved a naval procurement proposal estimated at more than 40,000 crore rupees to construct eight Next Generation Corvettes for the Indian Navy, according to government disclosures reported by ANI on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The capital acquisition project was cleared during a committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. Officials told ANI that contracts for the eight warships were expected to be signed in the following days with domestic public sector defense shipyards Garden Reach Shipbuilders in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited.

Cabinet Security Clearance and Shipyard Allocation

Under the procurement schedule, naval leadership expects delivery of the initial warship of the eight-vessel fleet by 2030. Participating shipbuilders are actively evaluating engineering mechanisms to accelerate production schedules and enable earlier vessel inductions. Corvettes are generally smaller surface combatants. Reports have suggested a displacement near 2,000 tonnes and a speed of about 30 knots for the proposed vessels, although final specifications will depend on the design and contracts.

Vessel Dimensions and Delivery Timelines

In a June 2022 release on the earlier Acceptance of Necessity, the Ministry of Defence described the intended operational roles of the next-generation corvettes. Designated operational functions comprise wide-area maritime surveillance, merchant convoy escort duties, regional sea deterrence, Surface Action Group offensive maneuvers, active search and attack operations, and integrated coastal defense patrols. The ministry’s 2022 description preceded the Cabinet Committee on Security decision reported in October 2026.

Multi-Mission Roles and Littoral Capabilities

The next-generation vessels will be constructed based entirely upon a new in-house design developed by the Indian Navy, incorporating modern domestic shipbuilding technologies and indigenous component manufacturing. Defense officials highlighted that the capital acquisition will advance the central government's regional maritime security vision designated SAGAR, representing Security and Growth for All in the Region, while expanding sovereign industrial capacity across domestic defense shipyards.

Industry reports have discussed a possible weapons fit including eight extended-range BrahMos missiles, vertical-launch surface-to-air missiles and close-in defence guns, but the final package has not been confirmed.

For Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, the Next Generation Corvette project could become one of the largest contracts in its history, strengthening its order book beyond its current construction portfolio of around 40 platforms, according to Indian Masterminds.