India Partners with Top South Korean Shipyards for Shipbuilding Goals

06 Dec 2024 CW Team

A high-level delegation, led by T K Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, recently returned from South Korea, where they visited leading shipyards to understand the construction methods and processes used by the world’s second-largest shipbuilding nation. The delegation also engaged in discussions about potential collaborations and joint ventures between India and South Korea.

Ramachandran was accompanied by R Lakshmanan, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Madhu Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard, and Capt B K Tyagi, Chairman and Managing Director of the Shipping Corporation of India.

An official stated that the meetings with top officials from South Korean shipyards were very positive, with the South Koreans expressing strong interest in forging collaborations with Indian yards. The official added that formal agreements might be signed when Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, visits South Korea in March the following year.

Representatives from Hanwa Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co) also took part in a meeting on July 4, organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which focused on rejuvenating India’s shipbuilding sector.

Executives from the state-owned Export–Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) visited India in late October to explore possible collaborations in the maritime sector, including shipbuilding and repairs.

While Indian shipyards have the expertise to build conventional ships of smaller and medium sizes, they are yet to venture into building large vessels such as Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), Capesize bulk carriers, Suezmax tankers, and large container vessels, mainly due to limited infrastructure, according to sources in the shipbuilding industry.

Moreover, the construction time for vessels in Indian shipyards is considerably longer compared to South Korean or Japanese shipyards. Indian yards also lack the technical expertise to build specialized ships, such as LNG/LPG carriers, Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs), and car carriers. Additionally, the procurement lead time for major equipment and machinery is longer in India, which adds to the construction timeline and reduces profit margins.

One official suggested that the feasibility of deeper engagement and mutual collaboration with South Korea's shipbuilding industry should be explored, given the urgent need to modernize India's shipbuilding capacity. The official also noted that potential areas for collaboration could include ship design, real-time planning, and milestone monitoring tools, as well as improvements in production management, processes simplification, automation, digitalization in welding, training, infrastructure expansion, technology transfer for specialized vessels, establishing ancillary units, and promoting green shipping.

India is actively seeking technical collaborations and joint ventures with top global shipbuilders, including South Korea's HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co, Hanwa Ocean Co, and Samsung Heavy Industries Co, in light of a major shipbuilding policy that is expected to be approved by the Cabinet soon. A high-level delegation, led by T K Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, recently returned from South Korea, where they visited leading shipyards to understand the construction methods and processes used by the world’s second-largest shipbuilding nation. The delegation also engaged in discussions about potential collaborations and joint ventures between India and South Korea. Ramachandran was accompanied by R Lakshmanan, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Madhu Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard, and Capt B K Tyagi, Chairman and Managing Director of the Shipping Corporation of India. An official stated that the meetings with top officials from South Korean shipyards were very positive, with the South Koreans expressing strong interest in forging collaborations with Indian yards. The official added that formal agreements might be signed when Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, visits South Korea in March the following year. Representatives from Hanwa Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co) also took part in a meeting on July 4, organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which focused on rejuvenating India’s shipbuilding sector. Executives from the state-owned Export–Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) visited India in late October to explore possible collaborations in the maritime sector, including shipbuilding and repairs. While Indian shipyards have the expertise to build conventional ships of smaller and medium sizes, they are yet to venture into building large vessels such as Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), Capesize bulk carriers, Suezmax tankers, and large container vessels, mainly due to limited infrastructure, according to sources in the shipbuilding industry. Moreover, the construction time for vessels in Indian shipyards is considerably longer compared to South Korean or Japanese shipyards. Indian yards also lack the technical expertise to build specialized ships, such as LNG/LPG carriers, Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs), and car carriers. Additionally, the procurement lead time for major equipment and machinery is longer in India, which adds to the construction timeline and reduces profit margins. One official suggested that the feasibility of deeper engagement and mutual collaboration with South Korea's shipbuilding industry should be explored, given the urgent need to modernize India's shipbuilding capacity. The official also noted that potential areas for collaboration could include ship design, real-time planning, and milestone monitoring tools, as well as improvements in production management, processes simplification, automation, digitalization in welding, training, infrastructure expansion, technology transfer for specialized vessels, establishing ancillary units, and promoting green shipping.

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

India Expands Semiconductor Training To 500 Institutions

Under the Chips to Startups programme of the India Semiconductor Mission, the Union minister responsible for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT reported notable progress in talent development. He indicated that over the past four years substantial steps have been taken towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. World-class EDA tools have been deployed in 315 academic institutions across the country to provide students with practical exposure to chip design. These EDA tools are supported by leading global firms and are accessible t..

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

Delhi Institutions Support India Semiconductor Mission

The Government of India has prioritised talent development through training, upskilling and workforce development under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission, with officials noting progress in four years towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. Electronic design automation tools provided by Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been deployed in 315 academic institutions, enabling students to gain practical chip design experience. Chips have been fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali, a..

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

NHA Announces Winners Of NHCX Hackathon At IIT Hyderabad

The National Health Authority (NHA) has concluded the NHCX Hackathon under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to stimulate innovation around the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX). The winning teams presented their solutions at the NHCX Innovation Meet held at IIT Hyderabad during a two-day event in March 2026 that also served as the hackathon grand finale. The hackathon itself ran from 22 to 28 February 2026 and aimed to accelerate paperless, transparent claims processing across India. The event was organised with a range of ecosystem partners, including the Insurance Regulatory a..