UK's Rolls-Royce Eyes Collaboration with Indian Navy for Nation’s First Electric Warship

As the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Prince of Wales, docked in Mumbai this week as part of its Indo-Pacific mission, a significant announcement emerged — Rolls-Royce expressed readiness to partner with the Indian Navy in designing and developing India’s first electric warship. The initiative marks a major stride in India’s vision to adopt cleaner, energy-efficient, and future-ready naval technologies.

What Is an Electric Warship?

An electric warship is a next-generation naval vessel that uses electric propulsion instead of traditional mechanical drive systems powered solely by gas turbines or diesel engines. In a conventional warship, turbines generate mechanical power that directly drives the propellers. In contrast, an electric warship converts that energy into electrical power, which is then distributed to electric motors for propulsion and onboard systems.

This technology transforms a warship into a “floating power station,” capable of intelligently managing energy between propulsion, weapons, sensors, and life-support systems. The result is quieter operation, reduced fuel consumption, and greater flexibility for integrating advanced systems like directed-energy weapons, railguns, and high-power radars — all of which demand immense electrical power.

How It Differs from Current Warships

Current Indian Navy vessels primarily rely on gas turbine-diesel hybrid systems, where engines mechanically drive the shafts. These systems are robust but often fuel-intensive, maintenance-heavy, and limited in power distribution flexibility.

Electric or Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) systems, on the other hand, decouple the mechanical drive and use generators to power both the ship’s propulsion and its onboard electrical network. This offers:

• Improved energy efficiency, as power can be allocated where it’s needed most.

• Enhanced stealth, since electric propulsion produces less noise — crucial for anti-submarine warfare.

• Lower carbon footprint, aligning with global sustainability goals.

• Simplified architecture, allowing more space for advanced electronics, automation, and modular weapon systems.

Rolls-Royce’s Expertise and Offer

Speaking on the sidelines of the HMS Prince of Wales visit, Abhishek Singh, Senior Vice President for India and Southeast Asia (Defence) at Rolls-Royce, highlighted that the company’s long-standing expertise in hybrid-electric and full-electric propulsion systems makes it a natural fit for India’s upcoming naval programmes.

“Rolls-Royce is well-positioned to support India’s naval modernisation with the right mix of products, expertise, and experience in delivering integrated hybrid-electric and full-electric propulsion systems,” Singh said.

At the core of this expertise lies the MT30 marine gas turbine, considered one of the world’s most powerful and efficient naval engines. The MT30 already powers the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, the U.S. Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyers, and the Italian Navy’s Cavour-class carriers. With its power density of 36 MW per turbine, it can generate enough energy to sustain both propulsion and advanced weapons simultaneously.

Deepening UK–India Naval Collaboration

The arrival of HMS Prince of Wales in Mumbai has symbolized growing maritime engagement between the two countries. The ship itself is powered by Rolls-Royce’s MT30 gas turbines, working in tandem with diesel generators to deliver an astonishing 109 MW of total power output — equivalent to powering a small city.

Alex Zino, Director of Business Development and Future Programmes (UK and International) at Rolls-Royce, called the visit “a timely opportunity to demonstrate the scale and sophistication of the UK’s maritime power.”

He added, “We’re proud to play a key role in powering the Carrier Strike Group. This visit gives Indian defence stakeholders an up-close view of our world-class propulsion systems — the kind that can extend the operational reach and resilience of the Indian Navy.”

A Vision for a Greener Fleet

India’s Naval Design Bureau (NDB) has already begun exploring next-generation ship architectures under its self-reliance programme, aiming to blend indigenous shipbuilding with sustainable technologies. Rolls-Royce’s participation could accelerate this transition, combining British marine innovation with India’s Make-in-India manufacturing drive.

Zino also reaffirmed that Rolls-Royce is expanding its supply chain, advanced manufacturing, and defence engineering presence in India, with the intent to make India a major node in its global operations.