MDL signs MoU with Tamil Nadu to develop greenfield shipyard on east coast

The agreement was signed on Sept 19, 2025, by Biju George, Director (Shipbuilding) of MDL, and Dr. Darez Ahamed, Managing Director and CEO of Guidance Tamil Nadu, during a ceremony organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

The proposed facility is expected to strengthen India’s shipbuilding capacity, diversify its maritime infrastructure beyond the traditional western hubs, and align with the long-term Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. This vision seeks to position India as a global shipbuilding and maritime logistics hub over the next two decades.

MDL, based in Mumbai, is best known for building warships and submarines for the Indian Navy, including stealth frigates and Scorpene-class submarines. The company’s expansion to Tamil Nadu would mark its first major foray into the eastern seaboard, a region strategically important for trade routes, defence logistics, and blue economy initiatives.

For Tamil Nadu, which already hosts a strong industrial base and ports like Chennai, Ennore, and Tuticorin, the collaboration could add a new dimension to its maritime economy. Analysts say the eastern seaboard has often lagged behind the west in terms of shipbuilding facilities, and the move could help balance regional capabilities.

While details of the shipyard’s size, capacity, and investment outlay are yet to be announced, officials say feasibility studies and consultations with stakeholders will follow under the framework of the MoU.