South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has entered into a strategic partnership with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), India’s premier state-owned shipbuilder, to jointly advance the Indian Navy’s Landing Platform Dock (LPD) program. The collaboration was formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focusing on project planning, procurement, productivity enhancement, and workforce skill development.
Under the agreement, Hyundai Heavy will lend its expertise in naval vessel design, engineering, and shipyard optimization, aiding CSL in executing one of India’s most ambitious maritime projects. Company officials described the partnership as a gateway for Hyundai to strengthen its foothold in India’s naval shipbuilding market, particularly in domains such as amphibious assault ships, support vessels, and auxiliary platforms.
The cooperation aligns with New Delhi’s 15-year defense modernization roadmap, which emphasizes self-reliance and indigenous capability across all military domains. The Technology Perspective & Capability Roadmap 2025 outlines India’s priorities to bolster maritime power, highlighting the development of next-generation destroyers, nuclear propulsion systems, and large amphibious vessels like the LPDs.
The Indian Navy’s Landing Platform Dock initiative aims to boost amphibious warfare, rapid response, and humanitarian operations. Each LPD will displace over 20,000 tons, feature advanced command-and-control systems, and carry troops, tanks, and helicopters for expeditionary missions. Cochin Shipyard, which previously built India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, is expected to lead construction despite earlier delays caused by funding and shifting procurement priorities.
