Top 10 shipbuilding companies in India: Powering the nation’s maritime might

India’s shipbuilding industry plays a critical role in strengthening the country’s defense, commercial shipping, and maritime infrastructure. From constructing sophisticated naval warships to commercial tankers and offshore platforms, Indian shipyards are making waves both domestically and globally. Here’s a deep dive into the top 10 shipbuilding companies in India that are driving this transformation with their infrastructure, capabilities, and contributions.

1. Mazgaon Dock Limited (MDL): Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), established in 1934 and nationalized in 1960, is India’s foremost defense shipyard under the Ministry of Defence. Spread over multiple sites on the Mumbai Peninsula and mainland, MDL specializes in submarines, stealth frigates, and offshore platforms, with capacity to handle up to 11 submarines and 10 warships simultaneously. The yard’s infrastructure includes three major slipways (SY1, SY2 at ~189.5 × 26 m, and NY at 237 × 29 m) supporting constructions up to 40,000 DWT, with high-capacity Goliath and level-luffing cranes ranging from 15 MT to 300 MT.
   Post its ₹900 crore modernization project, MDL added new facilities such as a heavy-duty Goliath crane (300 MT lift, 138 m span), module workshops, submarine building assembly bays, and a pre-outfitting wet basin (Kanhoji Angre Basin, 225 × 112 m with 100 MT crane). This upgrade boosted its capacity from 8 to 10 warships and from 6 to 11 submarines. The state-of-the-art module shop (~6,000 m²) enables advanced modular construction and improved build quality.
   Complementing its naval programmes, MDL is erecting India’s largest floating dry dock at Nhava Sheva (180 m × 44 m × 19.5 m), constructed in modular blocks by Shoft Shipyard. Once completed, this facility will enable simultaneous construction or repair of multiple large warships and commercial vessels, effectively doubling its DWT capacity to nearly 80,000–200,000 tonnes across future basins.
2. Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL): Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a PSU under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, operates a sprawling ~170-acre shipyard in Kochi. It features two legacy graving docks (255 × 43 × 9 m, 110,000 DWT for construction; and 270 × 45 × 12 m, 125,000 DWT for repair), served by cranes up to 600 MT. A new stepped dry dock (310 × 75/60 × 13 m) commissioned by 2024, equipped with a 600-tonne gantry crane and two 75 MT jib cranes, handles up to 70,000-ton aircraft carriers, LNG vessels, and specialized offshore rigs.
   CSL’s International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF), built in 2024 on Willingdon Island, covers 42 acres and includes a 6,000 ton syncrolift, transfer system, and six repair workstations. It offers ~1,128 m of quay alongside 1,400 m water frontage and repair capacity for vessels up to 130 m long. This facility boosts national ship repair capacity by ~25% and positions Kochi as South Asia’s premier maritime hub. CSL’s flagship projects include India’s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant, LNG tankers, and TSHDs like the 12,000 m³ “DCI Dredge Brahmaputra” built in collaboration with IHC Holland. The shipyard also plans a ₹10,000 crore collaboration with Hyundai to develop a new mega-output facility in Tamil Nadu.
3. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL): Founded in 1941, HSL is the oldest shipyard in India and currently operates under the Ministry of Defence. It has played a vital role in building and repairing naval support vessels and submarines. HSL has a shipbuilding capacity of 80,000 DWT and has constructed over 190 vessels, including offshore patrol vessels, survey ships, and tugs. The shipyard has a covered building dock (239m x 38m x 10m) and a dry dock (230m x 30m x 9m). It also houses outfitting jetties and workshops for fabrication and hull assembly. HSL has recently been focused on submarine refits and mid-life upgrades for naval assets.
4. Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI): Swan Energy acquired Pipavav Shipyard and officially took over operations on January 4, 2024, and rebranded the company as Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited on January 2, 2025. Located at Pipavav Port in Gujarat’s Amreli district, the 600-acre facility is among the largest in India, capable of handling both defence and large-scale commercial shipbuilding.
   At the heart of the yard is a massive dry dock (662 m × 65 m, 10.5 m draft) that can accommodate ships up to 400,000 DWT. Supporting infrastructure includes a wet basin (340 m × 60 m), a hardstand area for mega-block assembly (940 m × 40 m), and a dual-berth outfitting quay (350 m). With a 1.2 km sea frontage and a 980 m x 40 m pre-erection berth, the yard is well-equipped for constructing large ships and off shore platforms.
   SDHI’s fabrication capabilities include a throughput of 144,000 MT/year and a 2.41 million sq. ft. fabrication site, part of a 340-acre SEZ. Key equipment features a 600 MT Goliath crane (148 m span, 75 m hook height) and two 40 MT ELL cranes.
   Beyond shipbuilding, SDHI is engaged in offshore construction (jackets, piles, topsides), heavy engineering, and ship repairs. Within months of launch, it completed refits for three Indian Coast Guard vessels, showcasing its rapid mobilisation and technical strength.
   5. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd: GRSE, one of India’s oldest defense PSUs (operational since 1884), operates multiple yards in Kolkata, including the Rajabagan Dockyard (33-acre waterfront acquired in 2006). GRSE builds naval vessels such as frigates, corvettes, ASW crafts, survey ships, and fast patrol boats, servicing both domestic and export clients in the Indian Ocean Region. Its production unit features a covered dry dock, slipways, fabrication workshops, plate shops, and CAD design centre.
   The yard’s infrastructure includes a building berth, non tidal wet basin and three dry docks capable of docking ships up to 160 m length and 7 m draft. A license agreement with Rolls-Royce (2023–24) enables local assembly of MTU S4000 series engines (IP-enabled), power outputs ranging from 746–4,300 kW, for fast craft and assault vessels deployed by Indian defense sectors.
   In 2025, GRSE began fabricating 13 hybrid all-weather ferries for the Hooghly River and secured contracts for 4 hybrid multipurpose vessels, reinforcing its role in inland waterway modernization. The Rajabagan unit adds 600 m of waterfront capacity and supports fabrication of small-to-medium inland vessels, enhancing GRSE’s flexibility in both defense and civil maritime markets.
   6. Goa Shipyards Limited (GSL): Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), established in 1957 and brought under Defence Ministry control in 1961, spans approximately 105 acres on the Zuari River near Mormugao Port. It specializes in defence vessels—OPVs, patrol boats, tugs, pollution-control vessels, pontoons—and has delivered over 167 ships. GSL features a 6,000 ton capacity shiplift (120 m × 25 m), outfitting jetties, and CAD CAM integrated steel, aluminium, and GRP fabrication facilities for high-precision production.
   The yard is certified under ISO QMS, EMS, and OHSMS and is South Asia’s largest exporter of defence vessels, with consistent MoU performance and a 40% YoY increase in output. A new slipway and dual boom level luffing cranes have been added to improve handling capacity for larger ships.
   In recent years, GSL has built landing craft, Vikram class OPVs, GSL class pontoons, and pollution-control vessels. It is now modernizing to manufacture mine-countermeasure vessels and Talwar class frigates, and is negotiating facilities upgrades to enhance repair and modular production capabilities.
   7. Bharati Defence and Infrastructure Limited (BDIL): BDIL, reborn from the erstwhile Bharati Shipyard, operates major shipbuilding facilities in Dabhol (250 acres) and Ratnagiri, geared toward mid-size naval and offshore projects. The Dabhol yard hosts long waterfronts (250–275 m) and modular fabrication workshops, with a ship lift (12,000 t) under construction. The yard uses plate assembly shops, blast booths, and robotic welding, supported by SPMTs for moving modules up to 11,000 t.
   The company focuses on offshore-support vessels, jack-up rigs, patrol boats, and coastal defence platforms. Despite restructuring, BDIL has retained substantial infrastructure and is increasingly targeting defence and marine engineering contracts.
   The yard also features heavy steel workshops and high-load capacity transport systems, positioning BDIL to bid on large-scale marine and energy sector projects as it recovers financially.
   8. L&T Shipbuilding Ltd: L&T’s Kattupalli Shipyard spans 600,000 m² with a 450 m waterfront (9–12 m depth) and handles sea-based modular fabrication. It includes two dry berths, four 200 m wet berths, and a 20,000-t ship-lift system, making it India’s largest in its class. There is also a separate 150 m outfitting jetty and integrated container terminal.
   The yard is ISO certified and equipped with in-house naval design centers. Capabilities include interceptor crafts, OPVs, floating docks, and submarines. L&T has delivered 65+ defence vessels and recently secured a ₹1,000 cr investment to expand its modular fabrication and build capacity (~50,000 t steel/year and 25 vessels annually). It also constructs Cadet Training Ships (4,700 t, 122 m) for the Navy.
   Kattupalli’s digital workflows encompass 3D modeling, VR simulation, and digital lifecycle management. Its Hazira yard complements the network with high-volume module building, plate stockyards, and automated fabrication, supporting a diversified and high-tech shipbuilding capability.
   9. Chowgule and Company Pvt. Ltd: Chowgule operates two shipyards, Rassaim (15,000 m²) in Goa and a newly acquired Mangalore yard, focusing on mini-bulkers, coasters, and offshore vessels in the 5,600–10,700 DWT range. Rassaim includes a 123 m jetty, a tower crane (25 T), and a large assembly area. Its Mangalore yard has delivered 8,500 DWT diesel-electric cargo vessels to European clients with geared tweendecks and Tier III engines with battery packs.
   Chowgule embraces modern construction: modular blocks, dry/wet berths, shiplifts, and CAD-enabled design. Its certifications include both Indian Navy and Coast Guard for repairs and refits of OPVs, pollution-control and interceptor craft.
   With an annual output of ~7 ships and order books exceeding ₹3,000 cr, Chowgule is a key niche player in eco-friendly, hybrid-powered vessels under IMO Tier III standards, securing contracts with European and Caribbean operators.
   10: Shoft Shipyard Pvt Ltd: Shoft, founded in 1987, specializes in commercial and defence vessels—tugs, dredgers, barges, and utility ships, from its facilities on the Narmada River. It maintains covered fabrication yards and outfitting berths, delivering vessels with ISO and international classification standards.
   The yard recently completed construction of four ship blocks in Bharuch for transfer to the Nhava Sheva facility, supporting MDL’s floating dock project (180 × 44 × 19.5 m). It also secured a ₹475 cr contract to build India’s largest floating dry dock, enhancing its strategic output.
   Shoft employs over 1,000 professionals and practices best-in-class project management, delivering complex marine structures, ship repairs and refits for Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and oil & gas operators efficiently and sustainably.