NEW DELHI, February 24, 2026 : The Indian Navy has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) for the indigenous design and development of a 30mm Naval Surface Gun (NSG) integrated with an Electro-Optical Fire Control System (EOFCS), marking a further step in the service’s effort to expand domestic capability in critical naval weapon systems.
The EoI was uploaded on the Indian Navy’s official website on December 30, 2025. The deadline for submission of responses by interested industry participants is February 25, 2026.
The project is being progressed under the Make-II category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 with Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) status. Under the Make-II framework, prototype development is to be funded by industry, with assured procurement by the government upon successful completion of development and trials.
Project Framework and Industrial Participation
The Navy has invited participation from eligible Indian companies, industry consortia, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and start-ups. The EoI specifies that the programme will proceed even if only a single vendor qualifies.
Selected development agencies will be required to design, develop and deliver two prototype systems for evaluation by the Navy. Following successful trials and validation, procurement is planned under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, ensuring that the final product is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured in India.
The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme aimed at strengthening domestic defence manufacturing capability and reducing reliance on imported systems.
Operational Requirement and System Role
The proposed 30mm Naval Surface Gun is intended to be a stabilised, remotely operated, networked weapon system integrated with an electro-optical fire control suite. The system is designed to enhance close-in defence capabilities of Indian naval platforms against evolving maritime and aerial threats.
According to the EoI, the primary operational role of the system includes engagement and neutralisation of:
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and drone swarms
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Fast inshore attack craft
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Asymmetric maritime threats
The system is intended to function as a primary weapon on smaller surface combatants and auxiliary vessels, and as a secondary weapon on larger ships. It may also be considered for retrofit on existing naval platforms.
Technical and Integration Requirements
The integrated Electro-Optical Fire Control System will include thermal imagers, daylight television cameras, and laser rangefinders. This configuration is intended to enable autonomous target acquisition, continuous tracking, and accurate engagement in both day and night conditions, as well as in low-visibility environments and contested electromagnetic scenarios.
The gun system is required to integrate seamlessly with the host ship’s Combat Management System (CMS), allowing centralised fire control and real-time data sharing across the vessel’s networked architecture.
Design requirements also specify adherence to deck integration weight limits and the ability to withstand harsh marine operating conditions. The system must be capable of operating under exposure to shock, vibration, electromagnetic interference, and corrosive maritime environments.
Replacement of Legacy Systems
The indigenous 30mm NSG programme is intended to gradually replace aging foreign-origin close-in weapon systems currently in service with the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. These include legacy Soviet-era platforms such as the 30mm CRN-91 and the AK-630.
By shifting to an indigenously designed and manufactured system, the Navy aims to enhance supply chain security, ensure availability of spares, and reduce maintenance turnaround times.
Procurement Background
The EoI follows the grant of Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in late October 2025. The DAC cleared the procurement of 30mm Naval Surface Guns as part of a larger defence acquisition package valued at approximately ₹79,000 crore.
The AoN specified that the guns would enhance the capability of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard to undertake low-intensity maritime operations, including anti-piracy missions and coastal security tasks.
Industrial Developments
Indian shipbuilders have already demonstrated progress in this segment. In May 2025, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) completed sea acceptance firing trials of a 30mm Naval Surface Gun onboard a newly constructed Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), in collaboration with domestic and international technology partners.
The current EoI seeks to standardise and further indigenise the capability through a structured development and procurement process.
Upon successful prototype development and evaluation, the 30mm Naval Surface Gun integrated with EOFCS is expected to be deployed across a range of Indian naval platforms, including frigates, corvettes, offshore patrol vessels, smaller combatants, and auxiliary vessels, with potential integration on future shipbuilding programmes as well as retrofits on existing fleets.
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