West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said that the state must emerge as a prime destination for investment, highlighting the government's cooperation with the Centre in defence manufacturing, infrastructure and industrial development.
His remarks came during a virtual Bhumi Pujan ceremony held for five expansion projects of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers and Yantra India Limited. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Suvendu Adhikari participated in the ceremony. The five projects involve a combined investment of nearly ₹3,500 crore.
The projects are aimed at expanding India's defence manufacturing capabilities while strengthening the country's shipbuilding, ship repair and strategic component production ecosystem. The initiatives cover facilities operated by GRSE in Kolkata, Howrah and Raichak, along with Yantra India Limited's Metal and Steel Factory at Ishapore.
Adhikari said West Bengal has several advantages that can help attract new investments. He highlighted the availability of land, skilled human resources, infrastructure and raw materials as important strengths of the state. He also said cooperation between the state government and the Centre could help revive Bengal's industrial potential and create new employment opportunities.
The Chief Minister identified unemployment as one of the major challenges facing the state and stressed the need for fresh investment. He said the government was prepared to cooperate with major companies and defence manufacturers seeking to establish facilities in West Bengal.
According to the details released by the Ministry of Defence, the GRSE expansion includes a major shipbuilding facility at Raichak. The facility is being developed with an investment of more than ₹2,500 crore and is expected to have the capability to construct warships of up to 200 metres in length and commercial vessels of up to 60,000 tonnes deadweight.
GRSE will also expand facilities at Timber Pond in Shalimar, Howrah, and the Damodar facility at Kidderpore. These facilities are expected to support shipbuilding, ship repair and the construction of smaller vessels.
Two projects involving Yantra India Limited are being developed at Ishapore. The projects involve an investment of more than ₹750 crore and are intended to strengthen indigenous production of critical defence and strategic components. The facilities will include capabilities for heavy forgings and specialised metal products.
The expansion projects are expected to create direct and indirect employment opportunities while supporting ancillary industries and micro, small and medium enterprises. The development could also strengthen the industrial ecosystem around defence manufacturing and shipbuilding in West Bengal.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the projects would contribute to India's efforts towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing and support the objectives of Make in India and Make for the World. He also highlighted India's potential to become a global shipbuilding hub amid growing international demand and changes in traditional shipbuilding markets.
The projects are significant for West Bengal because the state has historically had an important role in India's industrial and shipbuilding sectors. The expansion of existing defence manufacturing facilities could provide additional opportunities for local industries, engineering companies, suppliers and MSMEs.
Adhikari also said that his government would provide necessary cooperation if major defence manufacturing units were established in the state. He specifically referred to land availability and other forms of support that could help attract large-scale industrial investment.
The development comes at a time when India is seeking to expand domestic defence production and reduce dependence on imports. Increasing manufacturing capacity, improving shipbuilding infrastructure and developing domestic suppliers are key elements of this broader strategy.
The five projects worth nearly ₹3,500 crore therefore represent more than an infrastructure expansion. They are expected to contribute to defence production, shipbuilding capacity, employment generation and industrial development in West Bengal.
With the foundation ceremony completed, attention will now turn to the implementation of the projects and their eventual contribution to the state's industrial growth. The state government's emphasis on investment and the Centre's focus on defence manufacturing could create new opportunities for West Bengal's industrial sector in the coming years.