Bharat Forge Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to establish India’s first private-sector Marine Gas Turbine (MGT) facility in Visakhapatnam.

The agreement was signed by Guru Biswal, CEO – Aerospace, Bharat Forge Limited, and former DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy, in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and senior officials during the Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Conclave in Puttaparthi.

The facility, located near the Naval Dockyard and Eastern Naval Command, will offer end-to-end MGT repair and overhaul capabilities in the private sector for the first time. Services will include blade restoration, rotor balancing, combustor liner repairs, component manufacturing, advanced testing, and round-the-clock operational support for the Indian Navy.

The project is expected to reduce India’s reliance on overseas marine propulsion servicing and technology support, while catalysing a broader naval and aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in Visakhapatnam, covering precision engineering, metallurgy, advanced materials, and defence-grade component production.

Bharat Forge will also establish an R&D and testing hub to support future indigenous marine turbine development programmes. The investment is anticipated to generate direct and indirect employment and position Andhra Pradesh as a strategic hub in India’s defence and aerospace supply chain.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated the project will strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing and build a globally competitive aerospace and defence ecosystem. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu highlighted aerospace and defence as a core pillar of the state’s industrial strategy, promising world-class infrastructure and fast-track approvals.

Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Forge Limited, noted the project marks a milestone in India’s journey towards sovereign naval propulsion capabilities and reflects the company’s commitment to defence modernisation.

The announcement aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s wider strategy to develop integrated aerospace, electronics, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing clusters, positioning Visakhapatnam as a strategic industrial and technology gateway on India’s east coast.