Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) for a strategic investment of Rs 4.25 billion. The partnership aims to modernise shipyard infrastructure, strengthen domestic supply chains, and develop a sustainable talent pipeline for India’s maritime industry.

The investment will be deployed across three key projects at the Pipavav Port shipyard in Gujarat, home to India’s largest dry dock with capacity to build vessels up to 400,000 DWT. Rs 3.5 billion will be allocated for capacity expansion, including slipways, jetties, additional cranes, block fabrication, and dredging, enhancing the shipyard’s ability to meet both global and domestic shipbuilding demand.

A Rs 200 million world-class Centre of Excellence for Maritime will train over 1,000 youth annually, featuring smart classrooms, specialised labs, advanced simulators, and design software for innovation in ship design, shipbuilding, and retrofits.

SDHI will also develop a 200-acre Maritime Cluster with an investment of Rs 550 million, serving as a hub for ancillary industries, suppliers, and support services to boost efficiency, local economy, and global trade.

Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena (Retd.), CEO of SDHI, said the partnership would “add world-class capabilities that accelerate India’s shipbuilding ecosystem and cement our nation’s place on the global maritime map for decades to come.”