Indian Navy has signed a contract for the construction and delivery of three 200-tonne Bottom Opening Non-Propelled Barges with Suryadipta Projects Private Limited, Thane, an MSME shipyard. The contract was concluded on 16 January 2026, marking another step towards strengthening indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.
The barges will be constructed in accordance with the Classification Rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and are intended to support various naval operational and logistical requirements. Designed for specialised material handling tasks, bottom opening barges play an important role in harbour maintenance and allied maritime activities.
Officials noted that the project aligns strongly with the Government of India’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. By awarding the contract to an MSME shipyard, the Indian Navy has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting domestic manufacturing and nurturing smaller industry players within the maritime sector.
The contract also reflects the Navy’s focus on building a robust and self-reliant domestic shipbuilding ecosystem, in line with the objectives of Maritime India Vision 2030. Encouraging MSME participation in defence and shipbuilding projects is expected to generate employment, enhance technical capabilities and strengthen supply chains across the sector.
Through such initiatives, the Indian Navy continues to play a key role in fostering innovation, self-reliance and sustainable growth in India’s maritime and defence manufacturing landscape, while ensuring timely induction of reliable indigenous platforms into service.
