Reliance Defence Limited (RDL), a fully-owned subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Limited, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), a leading provider of construction, repair and refit services for naval, military and commercial vessels.

Under this MoU, RDL and ADSB are investigating the opportunity to set up a strategic partnership for the construction of naval ships – including frigates, destroyers and other specialised vessels to address the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) over the next 10 years. The agreement could also see ADSB delivering maintenance, repair, overhaul and refit services to the vessels, in line with regional requirements.

Reliance Group is likely to use its newly acquired shipbuilding facilities at Pipavav for implementation of this collaboration.

The MoU signing follows the joint statement issued during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to UAE on August 18 which highlighted “cooperation and manufacture of defence equipment in India”.

Skills developed and the experience gained through this collaboration will further add to Reliance Group’s capabilities and position it favourably as a strategic partner for Indian Navy’s future programmes encompassing areas such as Combat Management Systems (CMS), Integrated Bridge Solutions (IBS), Combat System Integration (CSI), Integrated Platform Management Systems (IPMS) and staff training and development.

ADSB is a major regional provider of construction, repair and refit services for naval, military and commercial vessels in GCC region. This potential collaboration could help both companies expand their market share and address new opportunities.