Mumbai: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) to strengthen industry–academia collaboration and accelerate research and innovation in key maritime sectors, including shipbuilding, coastal engineering, inland waterways, and marine technologies.
The partnership is aimed at advancing India’s capabilities in modern shipbuilding and marine engineering through joint research, knowledge sharing, and technology development.
MoU Signed in Presence of Senior Leadership
The MoU was formally signed by Capt. (IN) P. Sunilkumar (Retd.), Director (Corporate Planning & Personnel), GRSE, and Prof. Surjya Kanta Pal, Dean (Research & Development), IIT Kharagpur.
The ceremony was held in the presence of senior leadership from both organisations, including:
- Cmde PR Hari (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE
- Cdr Shantanu Bose (Retd.), Director (Shipbuilding), GRSE
- Niranjan Bhalerao, Director (Finance), GRSE
- Senior professors and research officials from IIT Kharagpur
The event marked a significant milestone in strengthening collaboration between India’s defence shipbuilding sector and leading academic institutions.
Key Areas of Collaboration
The GRSE–IIT Kharagpur partnership will focus on advancing research and innovation in several strategic maritime domains, including:
- Shipbuilding infrastructure development
- Marine asset modernization and upgradation
- Coastal engineering technologies
- Inland waterways development
- Marine structural technologies
- Advanced maritime research and innovation
The collaboration is designed to combine IIT Kharagpur’s academic and research expertise with GRSE’s industrial experience in shipbuilding and defence manufacturing.
Strengthening India’s Maritime Ecosystem
This strategic alliance aligns with India’s broader vision of building a self-reliant and technologically advanced maritime and defence ecosystem.
By integrating academic research with real-world industrial applications, the initiative is expected to support the development of next-generation maritime solutions, improve infrastructure efficiency, and strengthen indigenous capabilities in both defence and commercial shipbuilding sectors.
It also aims to encourage innovation-driven projects, joint research programs, and technology transfer initiatives that can address emerging challenges in marine engineering and coastal development.
About GRSE
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) is one of India’s leading defence shipyards under the Ministry of Defence. Based in Kolkata, GRSE is primarily engaged in the construction of warships and other vessels for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, while also expanding into commercial shipbuilding. The company plays a key role in strengthening India’s maritime defence capabilities through indigenous design, engineering, and manufacturing excellence.
