Indian Navy ties up with Kirloskar Oil Engines to develop 6MW marine diesel engine

The Indian Navy and Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (KOEL) have signed a Project Sanction Order under the ‘Make – I’ category for the indigenous design and development of a 6MW Medium Speed Marine Diesel Engine.

The project, estimated at ₹270 crore, will be 70 per cent funded by the Government of India, and will result in a prototype engine with more than 50 per cent indigenous content. The engine will be developed entirely in-house by KOEL.

As part of the project, KOEL will design and develop scalable medium-speed engines ranging from 3 MW to 10 MW. These engines are intended for use in main propulsion and power generation on-board Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard ships — a domain currently dominated by imports.

This initiative represents a significant milestone in India’s journey toward self-reliance in defence manufacturing and critical technology development, further reinforcing the country’s commitment to indigenisation in the marine engine sector.

Gauri Kirloskar, Managing Director, Kirloskar Oil Engines said: “We are honoured to be selected by the Indian Navy for this prestigious project and to have the opportunity to contribute to the building of our nation. This is a proud moment for all of us at KOEL, and I am sure that with the technical and R&D strength that we have, we will be able to deliver yet another world-class product to the Indian Navy. We would like to thank the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Navy, for their support and guidance.’

Published on April 4, 2025