India and the UK are poised to sign a landmark Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to co-develop Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) systems for four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) of the Indian Navy, marking a decisive step in naval modernisation and bilateral defence cooperation, reported The Print.

The pact will leverage British expertise while building indigenous capability through Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and GE Vernova.

The agreement is expected to be signed imminently and will represent a major milestone in India’s efforts to indigenise advanced propulsion technologies for large naval platforms. The four LPDs, to be constructed at an Indian shipyard, will feature a full-electric propulsion architecture, a first for the Indian Navy.

British officials confirmed that GE Vernova will partner with BHEL to establish India’s first maritime land-based testing facility for IFEP technology.

This facility will allow the integrated propulsion architecture to be developed and validated on land before being incorporated into naval platforms, ensuring reliability and scalability.

The IFEP system is more than a propulsion upgrade. It enables electricity generated by the ship’s power-generation system to be distributed across propulsion and other major electrical loads. This integrated architecture provides naval designers with greater flexibility in managing power, allowing future warships to accommodate increasingly power-hungry sensors, electronic warfare suites, and advanced combat systems.

The proposed IGA builds upon the Statement of Intent signed in Portsmouth on 28 November 2024 during the third meeting of the Joint Working Group on Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership.

That framework established cooperation in co-design, co-creation, and co-production of electric propulsion systems for future Indian naval ships.

British officials have indicated that the UK will draw upon its experience in developing sophisticated electric propulsion architectures, ranging from the Type-23 frigates to the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. This knowledge transfer will be critical in shaping India’s indigenous capability.

The arrangement reflects a broader shift in the India-UK defence relationship from conventional equipment sales to technology cooperation, industrial partnerships, and co-development.

For the UK, India represents a major potential market as the Indian Navy expands towards its target of a 200-ship fleet by 2047. This creates significant opportunities for GE Vernova and Rolls Royce in propulsion technologies.

The collaboration also aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, ensuring that while India benefits from British expertise, the larger objective remains the development of capability within its own shipbuilding and engineering ecosystem. The IFEP initiative is expected to catalyse domestic innovation, strengthen supply chains, and reduce reliance on imported propulsion systems.

Additional discussions between the two nations have also touched upon retrofitting legacy Indian naval ships with electric propulsion systems, alongside modernisation of future warships. This demonstrates the long-term scope of cooperation beyond the four LPDs.

The agreement is part of a wider defence partnership that includes joint work on fighter engines for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and procurement of British Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) for the Indian Army.

The emphasis is increasingly on co-development, joint manufacturing, and integration of Start-Ups into defence supply chains, reflecting a strategic evolution in bilateral ties.

By adopting IFEP, India will join a select group of navies operating advanced electric propulsion systems, enhancing operational efficiency, reducing acoustic signatures, and enabling integration of next-generation combat technologies.

The partnership with the UK ensures that India’s naval modernisation is both technologically advanced and strategically self-reliant.

ANI