Bharat Forge wins ₹425 crore Navy order in 5 years

Deal signed with Ministry of Defence in New Delhi

Bharat Forge Limited said it has signed a contract worth about ₹425 crore with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to supply gas turbine generators for the Indian Navy. The agreement was signed on Friday and was finalised under the government’s Buy (Indian) procurement category. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh was present during the signing in New Delhi, according to the MoD.

The MoD said the procurement will have at least 60 percent local content. It also said the contract is intended to support the Indian Navy through local production and comprehensive life-cycle support. The ministry described the deal as a step toward self-sufficiency in strategic technologies and improved operational preparedness.

What Bharat Forge will supply and where it will be used

In a regulatory filing, Bharat Forge said the contract involves supplying 1.25 MW gas turbine generators for onboard power generation on Kolkata-class naval ships. The company said the order will be executed over five years. It also described the win as its entry into the marine gas turbine segment and said it will deliver indigenous turbine-based power systems for naval vessels.

In a separate MoD description of the procurement, the equipment was referred to as “12 units 125 MW Gas Tur Generators.” The company filing, however, specifies “1.25 MW gas turbine generators” for shipboard power. The MoD and the company did not provide additional detail in the provided information to reconcile the two figures.

Replacement of existing onboard power units

Bharat Forge said the new systems will replace lower-capacity units currently deployed on the Kolkata-class ships. The company positioned the contract as a shift into higher-technology naval applications, centred on turbine-based onboard power generation.

The MoD framed the procurement as part of a broader push to develop domestic capability to produce marine gas turbine generators. It said the deal represents an advance in building the ability to manufacture these systems in India.

Local content and life-cycle support focus

A key contractual requirement highlighted by the MoD is a minimum 60 percent local content. The ministry also pointed to comprehensive life-cycle support as part of the programme. In defence procurement, life-cycle support typically covers maintenance, spares, and service support over the equipment’s operating life, and the MoD statement explicitly linked it to readiness.

Bharat Forge said it will set up an integration and testing facility for the project. It also said it may participate in future programmes for larger power systems and propulsion turbines.

Separate MoU: private-sector marine gas turbine facility in Visakhapatnam

Beyond the immediate supply contract, Bharat Forge has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to establish India’s first private-sector marine gas turbine facility in Visakhapatnam. The MoU was signed by Guru Biswal, CEO – Aerospace, Bharat Forge Limited, and Dr G Satheesh Reddy, former chairman of DRDO, during the Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Conclave held at Puttaparthi on 15 May.

The MoU signing took place in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and senior government officials, according to the information provided. The proposed facility is planned close to the Naval Dockyard and Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, and alongside the Naval Dockyard, INS Eksila and the Eastern Naval Command headquarters.

What the Vizag facility will do: repair, overhaul and development

The Visakhapatnam project is described as a marine gas turbine repair, overhaul and development hub in the private sector. The facility is expected to support blade restoration, rotor balancing, combustor liner repairs, component manufacturing, advanced testing infrastructure, and round-the-clock operational support for the Indian Navy.

As per the project outline provided, Phase 1 is expected to include a repair and overhaul complex, component manufacturing facilities, a non-destructive evaluation laboratory, and a 72-hour turnaround capability for the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Phase 2 is expected to add a development and assembly hall, a hot-test cell for propulsion systems, and the development and qualification of an indigenous marine gas turbine.

Project footprint and employment expectation

The Andhra Pradesh facility is planned to be developed on about 80 acres within the state’s defence manufacturing corridor. The project is expected to generate around 750 direct and indirect jobs, based on the provided details.

Bharat Forge has also said it will set up an R&D and testing hub to support future indigenous marine turbine development programmes.

Key facts at a glance

Why the developments matter for naval indigenisation

The MoD has positioned the procurement as strengthening self-sufficiency in strategic technologies, with local production and life-cycle support aimed at improving operational preparedness. Bharat Forge’s entry into marine gas turbine-related systems through a five-year contract adds a private-sector supplier to a segment closely linked to naval readiness.

The Visakhapatnam facility MoU signals a parallel build-out of domestic support infrastructure, particularly for repair, overhaul and testing. Its proximity to naval bases and dockyard infrastructure is presented as a practical advantage for turnaround and operational support, including the stated 72-hour turnaround capability in Phase 1.

Conclusion

Bharat Forge’s ₹425 crore MoD order and its Andhra Pradesh MoU both align with the stated goal of expanding indigenous capability in marine gas turbine systems for the Indian Navy. The supply contract is set to run over five years, while the Visakhapatnam facility is planned in phases, starting with repair and overhaul and later extending into development and qualification of an indigenous marine gas turbine.