MC EXCLUSIVE Big-ticket defence projects in pipeline, Cochin Shipyard powers Indian Navy’s Atmanirbhar push

CSL built India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant

With the Centre doubling down on defence indigenisation after Operation Sindoor, state-owned Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has emerged as a major player in advancing India’s naval capabilities.

The shipbuilder, one of India’s largest, is working on several big-ticket defence projects, including anti-submarine and missile vessels, after successful delivering India's first indigenous aircraft carrier - INS Vikrant.

In an exclusive interview to Moneycontrol, CSL Chairman and Managing Director Madhu S Nair spoke about the progress of the defence projects worth Rs 16,000 crore currently being built by the company, including eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) corvettes and six next-generation missile vessels.

“The ASW-SWC vessels are in advanced stages. The first vessel should be delivered to the Navy as early as next week. In fact, we launched the sixth vessel of the ASW series (Magdala) today. The first vessel is expected to be commissioned in November,” Nair said.

The Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMV) are also progressing steadily. “The project is in advanced stages of design, engineering and equipment procurement. We expect to move into the fabrication stage shortly,” he added.

Nair said the ASW series’ timely completion aligns well with the government’s push to boost domestic naval capacity, especially post Operation Sindoor. “We faced challenges earlier, but they’ve been overcome. With all the learnings factored in, the subsequent vessels will be completed much faster,” he said.

Besides the defence projects, the government has also tapped CSL for short refit docking of INS Vikramaditya. This was the first time a major refit of the aircraft carrier was undertaken by an Indian yard.

“Cochin Shipyard is the only shipyard in India that has handled aircraft carrier refits for over 30 years now. This includes INS Viraat, INS Vikramaditya and even the new INS Vikrant,” Nair said.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the ASW-SWC class, Nair said, “The ASW-SWC is designed for compact submarine detection and warfare. It is equipped with advanced sensors to detect submarines. Today we launched the sixth vessel in the series, though some work remains before delivery. The first vessel in the class, Mahe, has completed trials and is ready for delivery this month.”

The shipyard is now ready for the next big leap. “We would be extremely happy and privileged to build the next aircraft carrier. We hope that our experience from Vikrant and over three decades of carrier refit work will be fully leveraged,” Nair said. “Cochin Shipyard — along with the engineering and design ecosystem that has evolved in India — is well-prepared for the next challenge.”