Raksha Mantri and West Bengal CM carry out Bhumi Pujan
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, along with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, presided over the Bhumi Pujan ceremony for three expansion projects of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and two of Yantra India Limited (YIL), worth a total investment of approximately Rs 3,500 crore, virtually from GRSE Bhavan in Kolkata.
The GRSE facilities at Kidderpore in Kolkata, Shalimar in Howrah, and Raichak in South 24-Parganas will bolster the country’s shipbuilding and ship repair capabilities, while the projects at YIL’s Metal and Steel Factory in Ishapore will strengthen indigenous metallurgical and production capabilities.
In his address, Raksha Mantri exuded confidence that these projects will further strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government’s spirit of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence, ‘Make in India’, and ‘Make for the World’.
Speaking on the occasion, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari termed the Bhumi Pujan as a historic moment. He stated that the expansion projects will not only enhance the capacities of GRSE and YIL, but also bring about a resurgence in West Bengal’s industrial sector.
Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal Manoj Agarwal; Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar; Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE Cmde PR Hari; CMD, YIL Shri Vijaykumar Iyer, and other senior officials of Department of Defence Production, GRSE and YIL were present on the occasion.(UPDATED ON 23RD AUGUST 2026
