Project 17-A: French shipyard DCNS set to play role

Major global warship-makers are carefully watching the Indian Navy’s Project 17-A, potentially India’s biggest-ever naval purchase, a Rs 17,000 crore plan to build seven stealth frigates.

And French shipbuilder DCNS — through a clever “first-mover” strategy — is poised to play a major role in that project.

On February 27 this year, the DCNS board gave the thumbs up for a three-party design consultancy along with Kolkata shipyard, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), and Indian IT engineers Infotech Enterprises.

The JV will design ships for global clients, including back office work for DCNS, one of the world’s biggest warship builders.

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