Biju George, director (shipbuilding), MDL (L) and Vivek Merchant, director, SDHI after signing the agreement.
Mumbai: India’s defence shipbuilding sector witnessed a significant public-private collaboration on Monday as Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) signed an exclusive agreement to design and construct landing platform docks for the Indian Navy jointly. The agreement, formalized during India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, comes days after the Defence Acquisition Council approved the procurement of these amphibious warfare vessels.
These vessels are considered crucial for power projection, amphibious operations, and humanitarian assistance missions.
Under the partnership, MDL – a Navratna public sector undertaking under the ministry of defence – will contribute its expertise in naval architecture, project management, and systems integration. SDHI, described as India’s largest shipbuilding and heavy fabrication company, will provide construction facilities at what it claims is the country’s most extensive shipbuilding infrastructure.
The landing platform docks will significantly enhance the navy’s capability to deploy troops, vehicles, and equipment in littoral operations. These vessels typically feature well decks that can launch and recover landing craft and amphibious vehicles, alongside flight decks for helicopter operations.
“The LPDs are vital to India’s maritime power projection capability, and through this collaboration, we intend to deliver world-class ships built in India, for India,” said Captain Jagmohan, chairman and managing director of MDL. He emphasised that combining MDL’s design capabilities with SDHI’s modern infrastructure could establish new benchmarks in quality and delivery timelines.
Vivek Merchant, director at SDHI, described the agreement as reinforcing the company’s commitment to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and developing India as a global shipbuilding hub. “Together, we aim to deliver technologically advanced, globally competitive platforms that will strengthen the Indian Navy’s blue-water capabilities,” Merchant said.
The partnership represents a model for public-private collaboration in India’s defence manufacturing sector, where the government has been encouraging greater private sector participation. Proponents argue such arrangements can leverage private sector efficiency and cost competitiveness alongside the proven capabilities and quality standards of established public sector shipyards.
The agreement aims to reduce construction timelines and costs while maintaining quality standards for these complex naval platforms. However, neither organization disclosed the number of vessels planned or the programme’s estimated value.
India’s navy currently operates the INS Jalashwa, a 16,900-tonne amphibious transport dock acquired from the United States in 2007. The force has been seeking to expand its amphibious capabilities as part of broader maritime strategy objectives in the Indian Ocean region.
The teaming agreement was signed by Biju George, director of shipbuilding at MDL, and Merchant at the maritime week event, which serves as a platform for showcasing India’s maritime sector capabilities and fostering industry partnerships.