Ministry of Defence Signs Over ₹53,880 Crore Deals for 8 Next-Generation Corvettes

Why in the News?

The Ministry of Defence (MoD), in the presence of Defence Secretary **Rajesh Kumar Singh**, signed landmark contracts worth **over ₹53,880 crore** with GRSE and GSL for the acquisition of **eight Next-Generation Corvettes (NGCs)** for the Indian Navy.

Key Features / Major Points:

- Construction Split & Nodal DPSUs:

- **Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata:** To construct 5 corvettes.

- **Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Goa:** To construct the remaining 3 corvettes.

- Historic milestone: First project where ships designed indigenously by the Indian Navy will be constructed by DPSUs selected via a competitive process.

- Operational & Technical Capabilities:

- Equipped with advanced missile systems, weapons, and sensor suites across air, surface, and subsurface warfare domains.

- Boosts Indian Navy's capabilities in anti-surface, anti-submarine warfare, littoral combat operations, and safeguarding maritime trade routes.

- Employment & Economic Impact:

- Expected to generate approximately **72 lakh person-days** of employment in shipyards and **460 lakh person-days** in MSMEs and ancillary industries over 10 years.

Static GK Facts:

- Indian Navy:

- Established: **January 26, 1950** | Navy Day: **December 4**.

- Headquarters: **New Delhi**.

- Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): **Admiral Krishna Swaminathan** (27th CNS).

- Motto: *"Sam no Varunah"* (*May the Lord of Water be auspicious unto us*).

- Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs):

- **GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers):** Headquarters – Kolkata, West Bengal.

- **GSL (Goa Shipyard Limited):** Headquarters – Vasco da Gama, Goa.

- Ministry of Defence Leadership:

- Defence Secretary: **Rajesh Kumar Singh** | Union Defence Minister: **Rajnath Singh**.

One-Liner Quiz (All Competitive Exams):

Q: What is the total financial outlay of the contracts signed by MoD for 8 Next-Generation Corvettes for the Indian Navy?

A: Over ₹53,880 Crore

Q: Which two DPSU shipyards have been awarded contracts to construct the 8 Next-Generation Corvettes?

A: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE - 5) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL - 3)

Q: Who is the current 27th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy?

A: Admiral Krishna Swaminathan

Q: Where is the headquarters of Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) located?

A: Vasco da Gama, Goa

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