New Delhi: India's maritime push under the Ministry of Defence gained fresh momentum at India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025 in Mumbai, where Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) - a state-owned Miniratna defence public sector undertaking - formalised a series of international collaborations, including a partnership with MCI World LLC, Dubai, to extend its ship repair and refit operations across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The move reflects New Delhi's strategy to leverage its defence PSUs as instruments of industrial diplomacy and self-reliance in the maritime domain. Held from October 27-31, 2025, the event gathered global shipbuilders, port authorities, and technology firms under one roof. Organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Indian Ports Association, it embodied India's maritime aspirations under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 - an era envisioned to make the nation a global shipbuilding power.

Expanding Horizons

HSL used the week to deepen international engagement. Its booth - inaugurated by Commodore Girideep Singh, IN (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director - showcased the shipyard's breadth: shipbuilding, refits, submarine upgrades, and green propulsion systems. HSL's management featured prominently in high-level dialogues on maritime industrialisation, sustainability, and technology. The MoU with MCI World LLC signalled an outward turn - positioning HSL to service Gulf and North African clients seeking reliable mid-life vessel maintenance and repair infrastructure.

Green Ambitions and Digital Skill

The shipyard's new partnerships highlighted its intent to blend environmental responsibility with industrial growth. Agreements with the Indian Ports Association (IPA) and Lotus Wireless India Pvt. Ltd. will steer HSL into hydrogen and electric tug development under the Green Tug Transition Programme. An MoU with the Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS) aims to modernise maritime skill development through courses on AI, robotics, and additive manufacturing. Other collaborations - with the Visakhapatnam Port Authority for a 60-tonne tug, and with the Dredging Corporation of India for repair cooperation - reinforce HSL's domestic anchor even as it sails into new global waters.

New Shipyard on the Horizon

HSL is eyeing expansion through a greenfield shipyard in Andhra Pradesh, part of a long-term strategy to scale both defence and commercial projects. Its infrastructure modernisation programme is designed to improve turnaround times and readiness for major bids, including Platform Supply Vessels, Medium Range Tankers, and Landing Platform Docks in collaboration with global partners. At the Andhra Pradesh State Session on Shipbuilding, leaders from government and industry - including Minister B.C. Janardhan Reddy and Special Chief Secretary MT Krishna Babu - explored ways to strengthen the maritime industrial ecosystem.

Toward a Self-Reliant Maritime Future

HSL's performance at IMW 2025 is a reflection of India's growing shipbuilding diplomacy and its use of industrial cooperation to build influence beyond its shores. As the company pushes into the MENA region while advancing green technology at home, it embodies the larger national drive for Atmanirbhar Bharat and the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. The shipyard's message was clear: India's maritime future will be built not only in steel and shipyards, but through partnerships that cross oceans.

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