The Indian Navy is preparing perhaps its largest single-phase program as it plans to induct up to 10 locally built warships by the end of 2025. This step highlights the Indian efforts in enhancing the indigenous production of defense products and attaining prowess in strategic naval capabilities. The move is an indication of India stepping up efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in the field of defense production and to develop naval capabilities.
Context
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By December 2025, the Indian Navy is expected to launch as many as 10 warships, comprising the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow-Water Craft (INS Arnala), and the second stealth frigate in the Talwar-class (INS Tamal).
Key Points
Other Significant Warships to be commissioned:
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INS Arnala: The most modern is the first of 16 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow-Water Craft (ASW-SWC) ships that are used to patrol beneath the surface, counter submarines, and undertake rescues of any kind in littoral areas and shallow waters.
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INS Tamal: The second ship in a series of multi-role warships that have been constructed under a technology transfer deal with Russia, the Talwar-class stealth frigates.
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INS Nilgiri: A second frigate under Nilgiri-class should be introduced at the end of the year.
Development and Specifications of Warship:
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This is the largest Indian naval warship to be powered both by diesel engines as well as waterjets constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata and L&T Shipbuilders.
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The INS Tamal is an INS Krivak class frigate, purpose-built to the Indian Navy, forming part of the follow on program Project 1135 in addition to Project 1135.6.
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It had been built with two in India and two in Russia.
Indigenisation and Technological Break-throughs:
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India is also going ahead with its ambitious plans to build a 175-ship Navy by the year 2035, emphasising on indigenizing the manufacture, newer technologies and intensive Navy input in design and production processes.
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The recent commissioning of INS Vagsheer proves a step further in developing the prowess of the Indian Navy in terms of submarines as the project 75 builds a Kalvari-class, diesel-electric submarine.
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The Indian Navy is also moving ahead with Project 75I where it attempts to construct six state-of-art conventional advanced attack submarines.
Aviation and Helicopter advancement:
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On the air side, the U.S has been supplying the Indian Navy with MH-60R seahawk helicopters which have since supplied 13 out of 24 helicopters ordered to enhance maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.
Conclusion
The construction of 10 domestically made warships by December 2025 can be seen as an important process in the current aims of the Indian Navy to develop domestically made defense strategies. Keeping a radical set of technological upgrade, indigenization, and tactical independence as the key agenda, India is soon to concretize its military in the marine in the forthcoming years to achieve an efficient and independent armed service personnel.
