Defence Ministry Signs Gas Turbine Contract for Navy

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Forge Limited on 19 June 2026 for the procurement of 12 sets of 1.25 MW Marine Gas Turbine Generators for the Indian Navy. The contract value is about Rs 425 crore, and the agreement was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

Marine Gas Turbine Generators

Marine gas turbine generators are onboard power generation systems used on warships and other naval platforms. A gas turbine generator converts fuel energy into mechanical energy and then into electrical power for shipboard systems.

Buy (Indian) Category

The contract falls under the Buy (Indian) category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. This category requires a minimum indigenous content of 60 per cent in the procurement item.

Indian Navy Application

The 1.25 MW generators are intended for Kolkata-class ships of the Indian Navy. These units will replace lower-capacity generators currently in service, and the contract is scheduled for execution over five years.

Important Facts for Exams

• Kolkata-class destroyers are guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy.
• The Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 provides procurement categories for defence purchases in India.
• Aatmanirbhar Bharat is a Government of India initiative linked with domestic manufacturing and self-reliance.
• Make in India is a national programme launched to promote manufacturing in India.

Industrial Participation

Bharat Forge Limited will establish a dedicated integration and test facility for these generators. The company will also participate in design and development programmes for larger power plants and propulsion gas turbines.

Strategic Manufacturing Context

Marine propulsion and power-generation systems are part of naval engineering and defence manufacturing. Indigenous production of such systems is linked with the development of domestic supply chains for strategic technologies.