Sri Lankan engineering firm Lakdhanavi Limited has secured a US$75 million (approximately Rs. 25 billion) contract to build a 57MW natural gas-fired power plant in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, marking a major breakthrough for the country’s power engineering industry.
The contract, awarded by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN), a wholly owned subsidiary of India’s state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), will see Lakdhanavi undertake the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the power plant at Hope Town, Port Blair.
Lakdhanavi, a member of Sri Lanka’s LTL Group, secured the project through an international competitive bidding process after emerging as the lowest-priced bidder.
The agreement was signed at the NTPC Office Complex in Noida, India, in the presence of senior representatives from NVVN, Lakdhanavi and LTL Holdings.
The project is expected to strengthen electricity supply in the Andaman Islands while supporting the development of LNG infrastructure and improving the region’s long-term energy security.
Under the agreement, Lakdhanavi’s engineering team will be responsible for executing the project, with Finland-based Wärtsilä Corporation supplying the power-generating equipment.
The award marks Lakdhanavi’s entry into India’s power plant EPC market, opening up opportunities for the Sri Lankan company to expand its operations in one of the region’s largest and most competitive infrastructure markets.
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy Anura Karunathilake has welcomed the contract award, expressing the government’s satisfaction over a Sri Lankan company securing a major infrastructure project in India.
The Minister met LTL management following the announcement and commended the achievement as an important step in taking Sri Lankan engineering expertise into international markets.
The contract also highlights the potential for greater two-way economic engagement between Sri Lanka and India, with Sri Lankan companies increasingly seeking business opportunities in the Indian market- Ada Derana.
