Opinion | Marine Engines: Why India Must Own The Power Behind The Platform

Updated: Oct 12, 2026 13:05 pm IST Published On Oct 12, 2026 13:03 pm IST Last Updated On Oct 12, 2026 13:05 pm IST

Published On Oct 12, 2026 13:03 pm IST

Last Updated On Oct 12, 2026 13:05 pm IST

India's warship-building story is progressively one of indigenous design, construction, and systems integration. But an uncomfortable contradiction lies at the heart of this progress: India can build sophisticated warships, yet remains dependent on foreign sources for some of the most critical machinery that actually makes those ships move - marine engines.

That dependency is strategically more serious. A propulsion system is not simply another subsystem. It is the ship's power plant, endurance mechanism, and most complex marine tech, which is dominated by a few among the advanced countries. If the propulsion chain is vulnerable to export restrictions, sanctions, IP controls or foreign supply disruptions, the combat capability of an otherwise indigenous warship can be seriously compromised.

Moreover, it symbolises India's maritime ambition, its next era of economic growth, with a marine economy at its core. For the Indian Navy, therefore, Atmanirbharta in shipbuilding goes beyond the hull, weapons, and sensors, to the elusive marine engine.

For example, take a look at China: "marine engineering manufacturing" is listed as one of the highest-growth industries. So much so that China's marine economy outperformed national GDP growth, surpassing USD 700 billion, up 6% year-on-year, as per its public disclosure.

India now needs a national mission for indigenous marine propulsion - one that moves beyond assembling foreign equipment under licence and develops genuine Indian competence in design, materials, manufacturing, integration, and testing. India Navy (IN) has a roadmap of around 230 surface combatants and submarines by 2037, and all warships need propulsion. So, the urgency is clear.

The Real Gap Isn't Just One Engine

The Indian Navy currently operates a mix of steam, diesel, and gas-turbine propulsion systems. India has developed considerable indigenous capability in steam turbines and smaller diesel engines. The strategic gap becomes much clearer when propulsion is examined subsystem by subsystem.

Marine gas turbines still depend heavily on foreign technology, particularly for core design, hot-section materials, coatings, and turbine tech.

Large naval diesel engines face gaps in power density, reliability, and qualification. Reduction gearboxes remain heavily import-dependent, while advanced shafting, bearings, and propellers need stronger capabilities in precision engineering, vibration control, and cavitation........

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