At Samudra Utkarsh, Rajnath Singh Compliments Indigenous Shipbuilding Industry

In his keynote address at Samudra Utkarsh, a seminar organised by the department of defence production on November 25, defence minister Rajnath Singh urged international partners to tap the potential of India’s vibrant shipbuilding industry and co-develop next-generation maritime capabilities, thereby creating sustainable technologies and resilient supply chains while shaping an innovative, inclusive and secure future for the world.

The minister asserted that the Indian shipbuilding industry, comprising Public Sector Undertakings and private sector partners, safeguards national interests regionally & globally, and India stands ready to help shape the maritime century by ‘building not only ships, but trust’; ‘not only platforms, but partnerships’.

“What truly sets India apart is its integrated end-to-end shipbuilding ecosystem. From concept design and modular construction to outfitting, refit, repairs, and full life cycle support, every stage of the shipbuilding process is indigenously developed and executed. Our public and private shipyards, backed by thousands of MSMEs, have created a robust value chain that spans steel, propulsion, electronics, sensors, and advanced combat systems,” he said.

Singh added that Indian shipyards are emerging as major players in the global commercial and dual-use maritime industry, mentioning about the high-end passenger and cargo vessels, coastal ferries, pollution-control & research ships, and the world’s most advanced deep-sea mining support vessel for ISRO and National Institute of Ocean Technology. He commended the private sector for rising as a force multiplier by producing green-fuel vessels, LNG carriers, Roll-On Roll-Off vessels, and high-efficiency commercial ships for domestic use and global clients.

“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.

Defence minister underlined the fact that every ship of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard currently under construction is being built in Indian shipyards. He emphasised that the transformation of India’s shipbuilding sector is underpinned by a series of forward-looking policy reforms including the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, Defence Production & Export Promotion Policy and Defence Procurement Manual 2025.

“We also boast of high indigenous content of our platforms. Some of our shipyards are on track to secure 100 per cent indigenous content within this decade. This means that any naval vessel supplied from India will suffer minimum supply chains disruptions,” he added.

Exuding confidence that soon India’s commercial fleet too will be built entirely within the country, he said, “Our shipyards on both coasts now operate modern fabrication lines, advanced material-handling systems, automated design tools, model testing facilities, and digital shipyard technologies. These are all aligned with the global benchmarks.

On the theme of the seminar ‘2500 BCE-2025 CE… Celebrating 4,524 Years of Shipbuilding Excellence’, Singh said that the theme reflects not just an industrial ambition, but a civilisational continuum. He pointed out that, from Lothal’s ancient docks to the modern shipyards of Mumbai, Goa, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Kochi, India’s maritime journey is a story of evolution & resilience. The centuries-old spirit of exploration, innovation and connectivity is being carried forward today as well, he added.

As part of the event, defence minister released a coffee table book ‘Shipyards of Bharat—Infrastructure, Capability, Capability, Outreach’ and two compendiums ‘Samudra Navpravartan’ and 10-year AI roadmap for Indian shipyards.