India’s Cochin Shipyard wins US Navy approval for ship repair work

Against a backdrop of deepening US-India defence relations, a third Indian shipyard has been approved for the repair and maintenance of US Navy (USN) vessels. On April 6th, state-owned Cochin Shipyard announced that it had signed a Master Shipyard Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the USN for work on vessels operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC).

“The MSRA is a non-financial agreement and is effective from April 4th 2024. Cochin Shipyard has been qualified for entering into the MSRA after a detailed evaluation process and capability assessment by the US Navy,” said a spokesman for the shipyard.

Last year, two other Indian shipyards, L&T Kattupalli and Mazagon Shipbuilders, signed a similar vessel repair agreement with the USN. These agreements signal US commitment to follow up its pledge of using Indian repair facilities, reducing the maintenance turnaround time and costs for US naval assets deployed in the Indo-Pacific region. The use of Indian shipyards also relieves pressure on the US ship repair base, which cannot keep up with the Navy’s needs.

Last year during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington DC, the Indian Government invited the USN to evaluate more yards for repair deals. In a joint statement after talks between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi, the two leaders acknowledged India’s emergence as a hub for maintenance and repair.

“Partnerships with Indian shipyards will allow the US Navy to expedite repairs to forward deployed naval assets. AS envisaged in the Defence Industrial Roadmap, both countries agree to work together for the creation of logistics, repair and maintenance infrastructure for aircraft and vessels in India,” said a USN statement.