Rajnath Singh lays foundation for five expansion projects of GRSE, Yantra India in Bengal

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Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for five brownfield expansion projects in Kolkata. Credit: X/@RajnathSingh video screengrab

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday (August 23, 2026) virtually laid the foundation stone for five brownfield expansion projects of the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, and Yantra India Ltd., from Kolkata.

Mr. Singh was accompanied by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during the foundation laying ceremony in Kolkata.

The projects comprise three facilities of GRSE and two of Yantra India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Singh said foundation was laid for five projects worth nearly ₹3,500 crore in West Bengal.

“The State will take steps to usher in a new renaissance of development. The news of closures and lockouts of factories in West Bengal has now been replaced by the launch of new projects,” he said.

As part of its capacity expansion, GRSE has signed lease agreements with the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) for two small shipyards on either bank of the Hooghly, along with a 32-acre riverside property at Raichak, to enhance its capabilities in warship construction and refit, a company official said.

“These projects will strengthen the capabilities of GRSE, while supporting the revival of West Bengal’s industrial ecosystem through employment generation and increased opportunities for ancillary industries, particularly MSMEs,” he said.

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