Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI), India’s largest shipbuilding and heavy fabrication firm, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth Rs 4,250 crore with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to transform India’s shipbuilding ecosystem.

The agreement covers three major initiatives at the Pipavav shipyard, home to India’s largest dry dock capable of handling vessels up to 400,000 DWT. A Rs 3,500 crore investment will expand shipyard capacity with new slipways, jetties, cranes, block fabrication facilities and dredging.

A Rs 200 crore Centre of Excellence (CoE) will also be set up at the yard, equipped with simulators, labs and design systems to train over 1,000 youth annually in shipbuilding and maritime R&D. In addition, a 200-acre Maritime Cluster with Rs 550 crore investment will bring together suppliers and ancillary industries, fostering innovation and boosting local economies.

Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena (retd.), CEO of SDHI, said the partnership will add world-class capabilities, accelerate India’s maritime growth and strengthen its place on the global shipbuilding map. The initiative aligns with the government’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.