India has issued operational guidelines for two national shipbuilding programmes with a combined outlay exceeding ₹44,700 crore, positioning the package as a multi-year effort to expand domestic capability and improve competitiveness.
The Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) carries an allocation of ₹19,989 crore and is designed to strengthen shipyard capability through infrastructure upgrades, technology adoption, and skill development. The framework also includes new greenfield shipbuilding clusters and the modernisation of existing shipyards, alongside a plan to establish an India Ship Technology Centre at the Indian Maritime University to support research, design, innovatio,n and training.
In parallel, the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) is backed by ₹24,736 crore to provide project-linked support for newbuild activity across vessel categories. The guidelines set assistance in a 15%–25% range, depending on the vessel segment, with disbursement tied to defined milestones.
The package also introduces a recycling-linked incentive: shipowners scrapping older vessels at Indian facilities can receive a credit note equal to 40% of the vessel’s Fair Scrap Value, as defined under the scheme rules.
Implementation is expected to be coordinated through a planned National Shipbuilding Mission. In government communications and reporting around the rollout, SBFAS has been described as capable of supporting shipbuilding projects worth around ₹96,000 crore over the next decade. The longer-term ambition cited alongside the initiatives targets shipbuilding capacity of about 4.5 million GT per annum by 2047.
