Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and Drydocks World, a DP World company, will jointly operate and expand the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) in Kochi. The two signed an agreement for the same at the sidelines of the BRICS Summit 2026 in the national capital.Speaking at the event, Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said, “The objective is to operate, consolidate, and expand the international ship repair facility at Kochi for regional and global demand,” Sonowal said, adding this is expected to repair more than 80 vessels annually in the near initial stage, and expand from six workstation to 16.The minister said five shipbuilding clusters in India have already received in-principle approvals and the country aims to be among the top 10 shipbuilding nations by 2030 and top five by 2047.The CSL-Dry Docks model, if successful, will be emulated in other projects as well, according to Shipping Secretary Vijay Kumar.“A number of international players have already shown interest. In Tamil Nadu, HD Hyundai from Korea, one of the biggest shipbuilder in the world, has already signed an agreement and the detailed project report is being made,” Kumar said, adding interest from Fincantieri (Italy), and IHC (Netherlands) is also there.An official statement said this will be the first public-private partnership of its kind in India's ship repair sector, under the newly formed entity Cochin Dubai International Ship Repair Facility.Under the agreement, the JV will operate and expand the ISRF, creating additional capacity to service a wider range of vessels for Indian, regional and international customers. Each partner will hold a 50% stake, with initial capital funded through equity contributions.The collaboration builds on a memorandum of understanding signed during India Maritime Week 2025 to explore cooperation in ship repair and allied maritime services.