Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) has more than doubled its workforce over the past 18 months as it expands shipbuilding, repair and heavy fabrication operations.
The company plans to hire more than 550 people by March 2027 across engineering, project management, design, supply chain, fabrication and civil works. Recruitment is also being stepped up for skilled trades including precision welding, fitting and pipework.
SDHI said its expanding projects could generate at least 5,000 additional jobs over the next two to three years through vendors and other supply-chain partners.
The company has also reported progress under SWAVALAMBAN, a training programme launched last year to prepare workers for shipbuilding and related industries. More than 100 graduate, postgraduate and diploma engineers, along with industrial technicians, have completed training under the programme.
According to SDHI, the initiative has cut the time required to move trainees from classroom-based learning to shop-floor deployment by at least 30%.
SWAVALAMBAN was developed in consultation with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the Directorate of Employment & Training under the Gujarat government, the Gujarat Maritime Board, Indian Maritime University and 11 Industrial Training Institutes.
The programme includes technical induction, mentoring and practical shop-floor training. SDHI said it has also worked with the Indian Maritime University to develop a shipbuilding-specific curriculum combining classroom instruction with practical training.
Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena (retd), chief executive of SDHI, said the company needed to invest in skills alongside infrastructure as India expands its maritime capabilities.
The company said the programme is aimed at addressing the gap between formal technical education and the skills required on shipyards.
The initiative comes as India seeks to expand its shipbuilding capacity and maritime economy. The government’s Maritime India Vision 2030 has set a target of creating 28 million maritime jobs.
