West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday said the state must become a prime destination for investment, highlighting the government’s cooperation with the Centre and welcoming expansion projects worth around ₹3,500 crore in the defence manufacturing and shipbuilding sectors.
Adhikari was speaking at a virtual Bhumi Pujan ceremony for five expansion projects of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) and Yantra India Limited (YIL), held in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The projects, spread across GRSE facilities in Kolkata, Howrah and Raichak, and YIL’s Metal and Steel Factory in Ishapore, are aimed at strengthening India’s shipbuilding, ship repair, metallurgical and defence production capabilities.
Speaking at the event, Adhikari said West Bengal has significant potential to attract investment, citing its availability of land, skilled human resources, infrastructure and raw materials.
“West Bengal possesses immense potential — land, human resources, infrastructure, raw materials and everything else. But now, the ‘double-engine’ government is operating at full speed,” he said.
He said the state government was working with the Centre to revive West Bengal’s industrial potential and attract fresh investment, while identifying unemployment as a major challenge.
“We need investment; Bengal needs to be revitalised. Unemployment is a major issue. For all the builders, MSMEs and engineering organisations here, the climate is shifting, and the atmosphere is changing. Bengal must now become a prime destination for investment,” he said.
Adhikari also highlighted his government’s cooperation with the Centre on national security and border infrastructure.
He said around 90 per cent of the land required by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the state’s borders had been handed over since his government took office.
“Since our government took office, we have already handed over 90 per cent of the land to the BSF to secure our borders. We are doing this for the safety and security of the nation,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said his government had initiated processes related to the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Census, which he alleged had been stalled earlier.
Referring to the defence projects, Adhikari said he had discussed investment and recruitment opportunities in the defence sector with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after assuming office.
He said the state government would extend full cooperation, including making land available, if major defence manufacturing units were established in West Bengal.
“If any major defence manufacturing unit is to be set up, there will be no issues regarding land; the state government is ready to extend its full cooperation,” Adhikari said.
The five projects involve a total investment of approximately ₹3,500 crore and are expected to generate employment and create opportunities for ancillary industries and MSMEs.
Under the GRSE expansion, a major shipbuilding facility will be developed at Raichak with an investment of more than ₹2,500 crore. The facility will be capable of constructing warships up to 200 metres long and commercial vessels of up to 60,000 tonnes deadweight.
GRSE will also develop facilities at Timber Pond in Shalimar, Howrah, and the Damodar facility at Kidderpore for shipbuilding, ship repair and construction of smaller vessels.
The two YIL projects at Ishapore, involving an investment of more than ₹750 crore, will strengthen indigenous production of critical defence and strategic components, including heavy forgings and specialised metal products.
Addressing the event, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the projects would strengthen India’s pursuit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Make for the World, while emphasising the importance of indigenous defence manufacturing.
“Self-reliance is not merely a policy; it is a force multiplier for battlefield capability. In this endeavour, the roles of GRSE and YIL will be crucial,” Singh said.
He said India’s growing shipbuilding capabilities, coupled with rising global demand and declining capacity in some traditional shipbuilding nations, presented a major opportunity for the country to emerge as a global shipbuilding hub.
The projects are expected to strengthen India’s defence manufacturing and shipbuilding capabilities while providing a boost to employment, ancillary industries and MSMEs in West Bengal.
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