Headquartered in Calcutta, India’s state-owned defense shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) plans to expand its shipyard capacity outside Calcutta.
In 2024, GRSE increased its shipbuilding capacity from 20 ships per year to 24 ships per year. Currently, the shipyard plans to restart some of its shut-down facilities and lease dry docks from other shipyards on a long-term basis, with the aim of expanding its shipbuilding capacity to 28 ships by the end of 2025.
A GRSE official said: “With the current production capacity, even if the expansion in the Kolkata area is carried out, it will still not be able to meet the shipbuilding demand that will appear in the next five to ten years, so it is necessary to break through the geographical limitations of Kolkata. The company has identified potential sites on the east and west coasts of India, but the specific site has not yet been finalized. The relevant process is being promoted and a decision is expected to be made within the next six months.”
GRSE is affiliated to the Indian Ministry of Defense and is famous for building ships and offshore vessels. Its history can be traced back to 1884. It currently has modern shipbuilding infrastructure, VR laboratories and other shipbuilding equipment. As of March 31, 2025, GRSE’s total order amount is 226.8 billion rupees (about US$2.631 billion).