Bharat Forge has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to establish what the company described as India’s first private-sector marine gas turbine repair, overhaul and development facility in Visakhapatnam.
The proposed project will come up on nearly 80 acres within Andhra Pradesh’s defence manufacturing corridor and will be developed through Bharat Forge’s aerospace division.
Strategically located alongside the Naval Dockyard, INS Eksila and the Eastern Naval Command headquarters, the facility is aimed at strengthening the Indian Navy’s propulsion maintenance capabilities while reducing dependence on overseas supply chains for marine gas turbines.
The agreement was signed during the Aerospace and Defence Investment Conclave held in Puttaparthy in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
According to Bharat Forge, the project will be implemented in phases. The first phase will include a marine gas turbine repair and overhaul complex, component manufacturing units, a non-destructive evaluation laboratory, and a 72-hour turnaround support capability for the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.
The second phase will focus on the establishment of a marine gas turbine development and assembly hall, a propulsion systems hot-test cell, and the development and qualification of an indigenous marine gas turbine.
The company also plans to position the facility as a regional repair and overhaul hub for navies of friendly foreign nations. The project is expected to generate around 750 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the projects would support all three armed services and strengthen India’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. He added that Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a key hub for aerospace and defence production in the country.
Amit Kalyani, Vice-Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Forge, said the initiative would bring marine gas turbine repair, overhaul and development capabilities into the private sector while positioning them closer to naval operations in Visakhapatnam.
Bharat Forge noted that marine gas turbines are critical for powering the Indian Navy’s frontline surface combatants and that recent global supply chain disruptions have impacted repair and overhaul cycles.
