India plans to strengthen Navy capabilities with eight next-generation corvettes. Credit: Manoej Paateel/Shutterstock.com.

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security has reportedly approved a plan to build eight next-generation corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy, with contracts expected to be signed with two state-owned shipyards in the coming days.

Government officials quoted by Asian News International (ANI) said the deal is worth more than Rs400bn ($4.21bn).

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Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) are expected to build the vessels.

The reported approval does not yet constitute a signed contract. Following contract signature, the Navy expects to receive the first of the eight warships by 2030, according to ANI.

The shipyards are examining options to bring forward deliveries.

The corvettes will use an indigenous stealth design developed by the Indian Navy. The Ministry of Defence has described the vessels as adaptable, multi-role platforms for a range of maritime security missions, according to the Economic Times.

Planned roles include surveillance, escort operations, deterrence, Surface Action Group operations, search and attack missions, and coastal defence.

The ships are intended to support India’s maritime security activities across the Indian Ocean Region.

Corvettes are relatively compact warships, with the vessels in this programme described as weighing about 2,000t and capable of speeds of around 30 nautical miles, according to ANI.

The agency stated that the NGC project supports India’s Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative, which is focused on enhancing security and stability across the region’s maritime domain.

The announcement comes shortly after India’s Defence Acquisition Council approved capital procurement proposals valued at about Rs2.12tn, which included naval priorities such as an active offboard decoy system for protection against anti-ship missiles, as well as other platforms to be designed and manufactured domestically.