By 2028, Kirloskar Oil Engines is expected to provide the Indian Navy with an indigenous marine engine.

According to the Kirloskar Group’s flagship company, Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd., the Indian Navy will get the country’s first domestically produced marine engine by April 2028. 

The company will deliver a four-stroke, 6 MW V12 medium-speed marine diesel engine within the contractually required timeframe, according to Rahul Sahai, co-CEO of Kirloskar Oil Engines, who spoke to the media. After the Navy and the firm signed a sanction order in April of last year, the engine is being built under the Make-I category of defense procurement. 

The project, which is expected to cost ₹270 crore, of which 70% is government-funded, entails designing and developing a prototype engine with more than 50% indigenous content. On Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships, the engines will be employed for primary propulsion and power generation. 

The program aims to reduce reliance on foreign original equipment manufacturers from nations including the US, UK, and Ukraine and achieve self-sufficiency in marine engine manufacturing. It supports the government’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. 

Additionally, it is anticipated that indigenous engine development will reduce lifecycle costs, increase maintenance effectiveness, and facilitate upgrades like the switch from steam-based to contemporary diesel systems, including refits like INS Beas. 

Source – The Times of India