State-owned BEML announced on Friday that it has entered into multiple agreements with Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) to jointly design and construct dredgers and supply indigenous spare parts.

The two companies signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth around Rs 3.5 billion during India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, marking a significant step in advancing India’s maritime and inland waterway capabilities.

According to BEML, the MoUs cover a wide range of collaborative initiatives, including the design and construction of inland cutter suction dredgers, the development of cable dredgers and long-reach excavators, and the creation of customised dredging solutions for reservoir de-siltation and inland waterway development. The agreements also include the supply of locally manufactured spares for DCIL’s existing dredger fleet.

BEML Chairman and Managing Director Shantanu Roy stated, “Together with DCIL, we are committed to enhancing self-reliance and driving the nation’s maritime growth story forward.”

Under this partnership, BEML will lead the supply, maintenance, and lifecycle support of dredgers and associated equipment, while DCIL will manage deployment and operational execution across key maritime and inland waterway projects.

BEML, which functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, operates across three major sectors — construction and mining, rail and metro, and defence and aerospace. The new collaboration reinforces its growing role in supporting India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) initiative within the maritime domain.