As tides shift, MDL lays new keel
The public company is betting big on India's second attempt to claim a larger share of global shipbuilding
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 "Bhaswar Kumar")
 "MDL's present-day-80-acre shipyard originated in a small dry dock in 1774 (Photo: MDL)")
MDL's present-day-80-acre shipyard originated in a small dry dock in 1774 (Photo: MDL)
At Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), workers fabricated large metal sections inside a specialised workshop, which the company hopes will soon serve its original purpose once the Project-75 India, or P-75(I), submarine order is finalised. And just a few hundred metres away, on a narrow stretch of coastal land known as the Darukhana, smaller tugs and boats were being dismantled by a cluster of private firms. “We build them, the Darukhana breaks them. The entire life cycle of a ship can be seen side by side here,” said an official, pointing out how the components being fabricated inside MDL’s
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Bhaswar Kumar
Bhaswar Kumar has over seven years of experience in journalism. He has written on India Inc, corporate governance, government policy, and economic data. Currently, he covers defence, security and geopolitics, focusing on defence procurement policies, defence and aerospace majors, and developments in India’s neighbourhood.
 "Bhaswar Kumar")
First Published: Oct 07 2025 | 11:01 AM IST
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