Indian shipyards ready to anchor a maritime century: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Nov 25: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called on global partners to tap the potential of India’s rapidly advancing shipbuilding industry and work with India to co-develop next-generation maritime capabilities.

Delivering the keynote address at Samudra Utkarsh, a seminar organised by the Department of Defence Production in New Delhi on November 25, 2025, he said, “Global players must tap the potential of India’s vibrant shipbuilding industry to co-develop next-gen maritime capabilities and create a secure future.” He highlighted India’s ability to deliver a wide range of platforms, from aircraft carriers to research vessels and commercial ships, and said this integrated capability places India in a strong position to become “a global hub for shipbuilding, ship repair and maritime innovation in the coming decade.”

Calling Indian shipyards “vital pillars of our emerging Blue Economy,” he stressed that they are not just industrial assets but symbols of maritime resurgence and growing national confidence.

Rajnath Singh noted that India’s shipbuilding ecosystem is powered by both public and private sectors, backed by thousands of MSMEs, forming a robust value chain across steel, propulsion, electronics, sensors and combat systems.

“What truly sets India apart is its integrated end-to-end shipbuilding ecosystem… every stage of the shipbuilding process is indigenously developed and executed,” he told industry stakeholders, Armed Forces personnel and foreign delegates.

Citing flagship projects such as INS Vikrant, Kalvari-class submarines and stealth destroyers, he said these platforms reflect India’s growing technological depth and design capabilities.

He underlined that every naval and Coast Guard vessel currently under construction is being built in Indian shipyards, reinforcing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India now has 262 ongoing indigenous naval projects, with some shipyards on track to achieve 100 percent indigenous content within this decade.

The Defence Minister also highlighted the rising global confidence in Indian shipyards, with an increasing number of foreign vessels seeking complex refits in India.

He said India aims to emerge as the preferred sustainment and repair hub for the entire Indo-Pacific region.

He further noted the growing shift toward green, efficient, and sustainable shipbuilding practices, digital shipyards, hybrid propulsion and AI-enabled processes.

Referring to India’s maritime legacy, Rajnath Singh said the seminar’s theme - ‘2500 BCE–2025 CE: Celebrating 4,524 Years of Shipbuilding Excellence’ - reflects a civilisational continuum, from the ancient docks of Lothal to modern shipyards in Mumbai, Goa, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Kochi.

He said that Indian-built platforms have saved lives across the globe during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief missions such as Operation Samudra Setu during COVID-19 and recent rescue missions by INS Vikrant.

The event also witnessed the release of a coffee-table book titled ‘Shipyards of Bharat’ and two compendiums, including a 10-year AI roadmap for shipyards. Senior military officials, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and CNS Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, were present at the seminar, which showcased shipbuilding capabilities and future maritime technologies.