Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Maritime University (IMU) to establish Centres of Excellence and workforce training initiatives for the maritime sector. The collaboration aims to combine industrial infrastructure with academic expertise to support training, research, and skill development in shipbuilding, naval architecture, and marine engineering.
The MoU was signed by Rajeev Nayyer, Advisor at SDHI, and Commodore KD Joshi, Controller of Examinations at IMU, at the university’s Chennai campus. The signing was attended by Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Dr Malini V Shankar, Vice Chancellor of IMU. The event took place during a thematic session ahead of India Maritime Week 2025.
As part of the agreement, SDHI will provide access to its shipyard infrastructure for industrial training, while IMU will develop academic programmes aligned with current technological and operational requirements. The two organisations will also jointly design industry-focused training modules and research programmes.
The partnership will additionally explore cooperation with educational institutions, vocational training providers, and government agencies to expand skill development initiatives in line with national maritime plans.
“India’s maritime future depends on a solid foundation of skilled talent and cutting-edge technology. This partnership with IMU represents a unique convergence of academic excellence and industrial capability. We are committed to nurturing the next generation of professionals who will strengthen India’s self-reliance and global leadership in shipbuilding and marine innovation,” said Rajeev Nayyer, Advisor at SDHI.
Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (formerly Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited) operates a shipyard on India’s west coast, which includes a dry dock measuring 662 metres by 65 metres and a fabrication capacity of 144,000 tons per annum. The company focuses on shipbuilding and heavy fabrication for the maritime sector.