The Defence Ministry is set to decide on a huge order worth about 70,000 crore rupees to buy new warships for the Indian Navy.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), a state-owned company along with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) are the top contenders for the contract that is known as Project 17B. The two yards currently are building frigates in Project 17A (Nilgiri class).
MDL is currently building four frigates. GRSE is making an offer for three.
The stealth frigates are the most technologically advanced vessels to be constructed within India which will take over the Nilgiri class ships that are currently being built.
The order is likely to be split between the two yards, as has already happened in the case of Project 17A.
The modern frigates will include significant indigenous content, such as indigenously designed fire-control systems that have been developed locally, BrahMos cruise missiles, anti-submarine weapons, and cyber warfare equipment.
The order will give a boost to dozens of sub-suppliers and vendors who will get a major chunk of the work.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd is one of India’s top shipyards that can be further bolstered by this purchase. It has a huge book order.
The yard in Mumbai is currently working on Kalvari class submarines and Project 17A class frigates and has recently completed work on Project 15B class destroyers.
The yard is likely to contract for three additional Kalvari class submarines during the current fiscal year. These could be worth about 35,000 crore rupees.
The new submarines will be bigger and more modern in comparison to the previous 6 Kalvari class submarines constructed at the yards.
On the other hand, Green is currently building the next generation of patrol vessels as well as anti-submarine war corvettes. The Kolkata-based yard has also been successful in getting export orders recently and many more orders are in the pipeline.
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