India's Maritime Power: SDHI's ₹4,250 Crore Bet on Gujarat

Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) has signed a ₹4,250 crore Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to strengthen India’s shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem.

The investment will be deployed across three major projects at SDHI’s shipyard at Pipavav Port, which houses India’s largest dry dock capable of handling vessels up to 400,000 DWT.

Key Investment Highlights:

Shipyard Infrastructure Expansion (₹3,500 crore): Funds will be used to upgrade infrastructure including slipways, jetties, cranes, block fabrication facilities, and dredging operations to enhance capacity and efficiency.

Centre of Excellence for Maritime (₹200 crore): A state-of-the-art CoE will be established to train over 1,000 youth annually in ship design, retrofitting, and construction. The facility will feature advanced labs, simulators, and marine design software to support skill development and innovation.

Maritime Cluster (₹550 crore): A 200-acre industrial cluster will be developed to house ancillary industries, component manufacturers, and suppliers, creating an integrated ecosystem for shipbuilding and maritime services.

Additionally, SDHI has signed an MoU with Sagarmala Finance Corporation Ltd. (SFCL) to explore collaborative opportunities in sustainable shipbuilding, financing models, and localisation of the maritime supply chain, aligning with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

In parallel developments:

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) will collaborate with the Deendayal Port Authority to establish a new shipbuilding facility at Kandla.

GRSE has also partnered with Modest Infrastructure, part of Goa’s Dempo Group, to develop an integrated shipyard at Ratanpar in Bhavnagar district.

These initiatives represent a significant push toward self-reliance and global competitiveness in India’s maritime sector.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.