Now Reading: India, UK to ink pact for electric propulsion of 4 naval docks
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India, UK to ink pact for electric propulsion of 4 naval docks
India and the UK are set to sign an Inter-Governmental Agreement for the development of Integrated Full Electric Propulsion technology to power four Landing Platform Docks for the Indian Navy, British officials…
India and the UK are set to sign an Inter-Governmental Agreement for the development of Integrated Full Electric Propulsion technology to power four Landing Platform Docks for the Indian Navy, British officials said. The LPDs are planned to be built at an Indian shipyard with a full-electric propulsion architecture.
British firm GE Vernova has partnered with state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited to establish India's first maritime land-based testing facility for the IFEP technology, allowing integrated propulsion to be tested on land before use on naval platforms. The agreement follows a Statement of Intent signed in November 2024.
The partnership reflects a shift from equipment sales to co-development, with the Indian Navy aiming to become a 200-ship force by 2047.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This deal moves beyond equipment purchase into co-development, a model India has pursued with France for Scorpene submarines. The IFEP architecture is key: it decouples propulsion from power generation, letting future warships run high-energy sensors and directed-energy weapons without redesigning the hull. BHEL's role in building the land-based test facility means the technology is being localised from the start, not just assembled. For the UK, the Indian Navy's 2047 target of 200 ships offers a decades-long market for propulsion systems. The next milestone is the signing of the IGA and the commissioning of the test facility timeline.
The next milestone is the signing of the IGA and the commissioning date of the land-based test facility.
Source: theprint.in
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
