India seeks indigenous warship propulsion technology

Anondeeta Chakraborty

A major push in India’s naval indigenisation ambitions came on 7 September 2026, when the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) officially gave the nod by issuing an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the domestic design, development and subsequent procurement of Marine Gas Turbines (MGTs) for warship propulsion. 

An MGT is an engine that generates power, which is then transmitted through a gearbox to rotate the propeller. It can also produce electricity when connected to a generator. Previously, in June 2026, the ministry of defence (MoD) also placed orders for MGT generators for onboard electricity. The September initiative is an especially important milestone, as it aims to reduce India’s dependence on foreign suppliers for warship propulsion.

While India has made substantial progress in building and manufacturing sophisticated warships, its record in the critical technology of propulsion is, however, less than ideal. The majority of the Indian Navy’s propulsion systems remain imported. Before the Russia-Ukraine war of 2022, India was heavily dependent on the Ukrainian firm Zorya-Mashproekt for powering its frontline warships. However, following the crisis, India’s import of propulsion systems had to be diversified. Alongside Zorya, GE Aerospace had emerged as a major supplier of gas turbines to the Indian Navy. GE Aerospace LM2500 engines propel the P-17 Shivalik-class frigates, the P-17A Nilgiri-class frigate, and India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant (IAC-1). Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) assembles the engines under license. LM2500 has also been selected for India’s Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV), intended for offensive anti-surface warfare and coastal/ sea-denial missions.

In 2008, India tested a marine variant of the Kaveri gas turbine, indigenously designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE). Still, it did not result in an operational propulsion engine. This brief achievement in indigenous MGT development was fleeting, and New Delhi was back to reliance on foreign propulsion engines. Cut to 2026, with the complications arising from the Russia-Ukraine war and India’s push towards indigenisation in the defence industry, the MoD has entered into a contract with Bharat Forge for an initial supply of 12 sets of MGT generators for onboard electrical power for the navy’s Kolkata-class destroyers, which is scheduled to be completed over five years. However, for the Marine Gas 24-28 MW propulsion engines, a supplier has not yet been determined.