DD Correspondent
Kolkata: Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari virtually performed the Bhumi Pujan for five expansion projects of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Yantra India Limited (YIL), involving a total investment of around ₹3,500 crore.
The projects are aimed at strengthening India’s shipbuilding, ship repair, metallurgical and defence production capabilities while advancing the vision of ‘Self-Reliant India’, ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for the World’.Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh said the projects would strengthen India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing and create employment opportunities for thousands of people, besides benefiting MSMEs and allied industries.He said self-reliance was not merely a policy but a “force multiplier” for battlefield capability, highlighting the crucial role of GRSE and YIL in strengthening indigenous defence production.
The Defence Minister also said India has a significant opportunity to emerge as a global shipbuilding hub amid declining shipbuilding capacity in traditional maritime nations and rising global demand for naval and commercial vessels.He emphasised the need to modernise shipyards, adopt global quality standards and leverage India’s engineering, IT, simulation and artificial intelligence capabilities to develop indigenous ship designs and expand exports.
Rajnath Singh further highlighted the potential of India to become a major hub for ship repair and overhaul in the Indian Ocean Region, saying this would help save foreign exchange and generate thousands of jobs.
The expansion projects include new facilities at GRSE’s locations in Kolkata, Howrah and Raichak, while YIL’s projects at its Metal and Steel Factory in Ishapore will enhance indigenous manufacturing of heavy ordnance, advanced weapon systems and strategic components.The projects are also expected to strengthen the defence manufacturing ecosystem, support MSMEs and generate direct and indirect employment, contributing to West Bengal’s industrial and socio-economic development.
