India’s State-owned defence shipbuilding sector took a decisive step toward global expansion at India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025, held in Mumbai from 27 to 31 October, as a Miniratna public sector shipyard under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed multiple international partnerships, including one with MCI World LLC of Dubai, to extend ship repair and refit services across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Expanding India’s Global Maritime Reach
Hindustan Shipyard Limited, the MoD-controlled enterprise used IMW 2025 to strengthen industrial linkages and maritime cooperation with international players. Its new partnership with MCI World LLC will allow the state-owned yard to establish a presence in the MENA region, where demand for mid-life vessel maintenance and repair has grown significantly.
Senior officials from the Miniratna PSU participated in several high-level discussions on shipbuilding, industrial collaboration, and international maritime partnerships. The event — attended by shipbuilders, port authorities, and technology firms from around the world — highlighted India’s bid to position its defence shipyards as reliable service providers in global maritime supply chains.
The partnership marks one of the most significant steps in New Delhi’s ongoing effort to project its defence public sector undertakings as part of India’s larger maritime diplomacy initiative — blending industrial cooperation with strategic outreach.
Strengthening Industrial Cooperation
At IMW 2025, the Ministry of Defence facilitated interactions between its public-sector shipyards and overseas delegations, encouraging collaboration in refit, dockyard modernisation, and lifecycle maintenance. Senior naval and government representatives engaged with international shipbuilders and port administrations to identify areas for joint operations and training.
The focus throughout the event was on expanding India’s repair and refit footprint while developing capabilities to handle foreign maintenance contracts through MoD-owned infrastructure. Officials said these collaborations demonstrate India’s intent to transition from a domestic shipbuilding power to an exporter of technical and maintenance expertise.
Maritime Diplomacy in Action
India’s growing network of shipbuilding partnerships is emerging as a critical instrument of maritime diplomacy — using industrial cooperation to foster deeper ties with partner nations. The agreements announced at IMW 2025 reflect a steady alignment between India’s defence industrial base and its foreign policy objectives, leveraging state-owned capacity for strategic engagement abroad.
By strengthening its ship-repair and refit capabilities through international cooperation, New Delhi is signalling its readiness to take a greater role in the global maritime ecosystem — not just as a defence power, but as a dependable industrial partner across regions.
