The Ministry of Defence has awarded Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) a ₹498.58-crore contract for the refit and re-powering of Indian Navy frigate INS Betwa. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on 11 November 2026 in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
INS Betwa is a Brahmaputra-class guided-missile frigate commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 2004. The ship is named after the Betwa River. Under the new project, its existing steam-based propulsion arrangement will be replaced with a diesel-engine-based system, while its weapon suite will also be modernised.
Propulsion change at the centre of the project
The conversion of the propulsion system is the principal element of the work. The Ministry of Defence said the refit would also enhance the frigate’s combat capabilities and improve its operational effectiveness. However, the ministry has not identified the engines or weapons that will be installed, nor has it announced the duration of the refit or a target date for completion.
“normal refit and re-powering” — Ministry of Defence
The ministry has characterised the assignment as a refit and re-powering programme rather than a new-build project. This distinction is important for the Indian Navy’s fleet-support infrastructure, as the contract is centred on returning an existing frontline platform to service with a revised propulsion configuration and modernised combat systems.
| Project detail | Information announced |
|---|---|
| Ship | INS Betwa |
| Class | Brahmaputra-class guided-missile frigate |
| Buyer | Ministry of Defence |
| Shipyard | Cochin Shipyard Limited |
| Contract value | ₹498.58 crore |
| Work | Refit, diesel-engine-based re-powering and weapon-suite modernisation |
| Signing date | 11 November 2026 |
MSME participation and domestic repair capacity
More than 50 micro, small and medium enterprises are expected to participate in the project. According to the Ministry of Defence, their involvement will support employment across shipbuilding and associated industrial activities, while broadening the domestic ecosystem for naval repair and engineering work.
The ministry has linked the project to the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. It said the assignment would strengthen India’s domestic capacity for ship repair and maintenance, particularly in technically demanding work involving propulsion transformation and the modernisation of naval platforms.
For CSL, the contract adds a major naval refit to its shipbuilding and repair portfolio. The Kochi-based shipyard undertakes construction and repair work for the Indian Navy and other customers. The INS Betwa project will require coordination between ship-repair teams, engineering specialists and equipment suppliers, although the ministry has not published a work-package-wise or supplier-wise breakdown of the contract value.
