New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has urged international partners to tap India’s shipbuilding industry, as it gears to cement its role as a global hub for shipbuilding and ship repair, the minister noted at the Samudra Utkarsh seminar in New Delhi. Speaking to an audience of industry partners and representatives of major defence shipyards and industry partners, the minister highlighted the achievements of the industry under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, where the new ships being built for the Navy and Coast Guard are now constructed in India.
“We are capable of delivering aircraft carriers to advanced research vessels and energy-efficient commercial ships. This integrated capability positions India strongly to become a global hub for shipbuilding, ship repair, and maritime innovation in the coming decade,” he said.
“We also boast of high indigenous content of our platforms. Some of our shipyards are on track to secure 100% indigenous content within this decade. This means that any naval vessel supplied from India will suffer minimum supply chains disruptions,” he added, given that the Indian Navy is working on 262 ongoing design and development projects.
“We want to become the preferred sustainment and repair hub for the entire Indo-Pacific region. Ships from friendly foreign nations are increasingly coming to Indian shipyards for the complex refits, and this is a clear recognition of India’s capability, reliability, and close competitiveness,” he added.
Even though India is currently far behind market leaders like South Korea, Japan and China in the shipbuilding industry, India has made rapid progress over the years, with the shipbuilding industry valued at around $1.12 billion. Most of the ships India builds is for domestic use, with less than 1% global market share.
Despite the technological disadvantages, India has proven its worth in the industry, especially with the successful completion of India’s first aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant. Leading shipbuilders like Mazgaon Dock (Mumbai) and Garden Reach (Kolkata) have been upgrading their infrastructure and skills in cooperation with foreign OEMs. Many East Asia-based shipbuilders are also eagerly sharing knowledge with India, considering their backlog of orders. India still has a long way to go, and continued government support will be crucial to achieve the government’s aim of 100% indigenisation by the end of this decade.
