Indian Navy Places Orders for Eight Next Generation Corvettes

India’s Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ₹53,866.5 crore for eight Project 28A Next Generation Corvettes. These ships matter because they will add modern, domestically designed combatants to the Indian Navy’s surface fleet, with roles ranging from anti-submarine warfare to air defence.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, or GRSE, will construct five ships for about ₹32,000 crore. Goa Shipyard Limited, or GSL, will build the remaining three. Both shipyards will use private partners to accelerate construction. The design comes from the Indian Navy, while the shipyards were selected through competition.

Both yards aim to launch their first corvettes in late 2029. Delivery of the ships is expected to commence by 2031. The article does not state the exact date when the first vessel will enter operational service, so delivery should not be treated as the same milestone.

A corvette is a relatively compact surface warship designed to perform several naval missions. Modern corvettes can patrol, escort other ships, attack surface targets, defend against aircraft or missiles, and hunt submarines. Their value comes from combining useful combat power with a smaller hull than many frigates or destroyers.

India’s NGC is designed for offensive attacks using surface-to-surface missiles, anti-submarine warfare, escort duties, air defence, and participation in surface action groups. It will also have a hangar for a helicopter or UAV. That aircraft can extend the ship’s reach for surveillance or submarine-related operations, while the ship itself carries weapons and sensors.

These ships are unusually large for the corvette category described here. At 127.4 meters and 4,950 tons, they will be larger than some current Indian frigates, including the Talwar class. Their size reflects the Navy’s broader aim to build larger surface combatants across categories.

The NGCs will be 127.4 meters long, 17.6 meters wide, and displace 4,950 tons. Their maximum speed will be 26 knots. Each ship will have a crew of 11 officers and 139 sailors. A CODAG-CC propulsion system will drive two controllable-pitch propellers.

The planned weapons include 16 Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles in two eight-cell vertical launch units. The ships will also have Medium Range Anti-Ship Missiles, 324 mm torpedo tubes, an upgraded OTO Melara 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount, an AK-630 close-in weapon system, and 12.7 mm stabilised remote-controlled guns.

Sensors will include an EOIRST system and MFSTAR radar. A low-resolution render shows four-tube launchers on each side, which could indicate up to 16 MRAShM missiles, but the article presents that number as conditional. The ships will also have a helicopter or UAV hangar.

The eight NGCs are intended to broaden the Indian Navy’s ability to perform several missions with one ship class. Their stated roles include offensive surface attack, anti-submarine warfare, escort, air defence, and participation in surface action groups. This creates a flexible force rather than a platform limited to one task.

For surface attack, the ships will use Medium Range Anti-Ship Missiles, with the design render potentially showing up to 16 launch positions. For air defence, they will carry 16 MRSAM missiles in vertical launch units. Their 324 mm torpedo tubes and onboard helicopter or UAV support the anti-submarine role, while radar and other sensors help detect and track threats.

The article does not quantify how much these ships will increase fleet coverage or readiness. It does establish that eight modern combatants are being added, with deliveries expected from 2031. They will also support escorts and surface action groups as India builds larger combatants.

The Project 28A NGC matters because the Indian Navy designed the ships, while Defence Public Sector Undertakings were selected through a competitive process. The article identifies this as the first project using that combination, rather than assigning the work through a nomination process. That makes the procurement method itself a notable industrial change.

GRSE emerged as the lowest bidder and received the larger share, five ships. GSL will build three. GRSE brings experience with Project 17A Nilgiri-class frigates, ASW SWC vessels, and other naval ships. GSL has built multiple offshore patrol vessels and is constructing the final two Talwar-class frigates.

Both shipyards will use private partners to speed construction. The programme therefore links Navy-led design, competitive public-sector selection, and wider industrial participation. First launches are targeted for late 2029, with deliveries expected from 2031. The article does not provide a detailed management model beyond those arrangements.

The Navy may use MRAShM because missile size and cost affect how many weapons a ship can carry. The article describes MRAShM as a lightweight, subsonic surface-to-surface missile intended as a primary offensive weapon on Indian Navy ships. It contrasts this with BrahMos, which is supersonic but heavier and more expensive.

A low-resolution NGC render shows two inclined launchers, each apparently holding four tubes, on the starboard side. A similar arrangement may appear on the port side. If that interpretation is accurate, the ship could carry up to 16 MRAShM missiles. That would provide a substantial anti-ship load without relying only on the larger BrahMos system.

MRAShM would not replace every missile in every role. The article notes that BrahMos remains common across Indian surface combatants, including older ships scheduled for upgrades. India is also developing other subsonic missiles, including LRLACM, SLCM, and NASM-SR, for different ranges and missions.

An integrated combat system connects detection, decision-making, movement, and attack. On the NGC, the MFSTAR radar and EOIRST system would provide important surveillance and tracking inputs. The ship can then match a threat to the suitable weapon, such as MRSAM for air defence, MRAShM for surface attack, or torpedoes for submarines.

The 76 mm gun and AK-630 close-in weapon system provide gun-based options, while the stabilised remote-controlled guns add another short-range capability. The helicopter or UAV can extend observation beyond the hull and support the ship’s anti-submarine mission. The combat system brings these separate tools into one coordinated package rather than treating each weapon independently.

Propulsion supports the whole system by moving the ship into useful positions or away from danger. The CODAG-CC arrangement drives two controllable-pitch propellers. The article gives the equipment and roles, but it does not describe the detailed software, communications links, or command procedures connecting them.