New Delhi: India is preparing for one of its biggest indigenous naval expansion programmes, with the Indian Navy planning three major warship projects worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore. The proposed initiatives, currently undergoing internal consultations and planning, are expected to significantly strengthen the country’s maritime capabilities and reinforce its strategic position in the Indian Ocean Region and the wider Indo Pacific.
The three projects include the construction of next generation Project 15C guided missile destroyers, Project 17B stealth frigates and the ambitious Project 18A large surface combatants. Once approved, they will represent one of the largest investments in indigenous naval shipbuilding since the launch of the Project 15B destroyers and Project 17A stealth frigates.
Project 15C is the largest of the three programmes, with plans to build four advanced guided missile destroyers at an estimated cost of around Rs 50,000 crore. The vessels will build upon the capabilities of the existing Kolkata class and Visakhapatnam class destroyers while incorporating next generation sensors, weapons, electronic warfare systems and enhanced air defence capabilities. The Request for Proposal is expected within a year, with construction likely to begin after procurement and design approvals.
Under Project 17B, the Navy plans to induct six advanced stealth frigates valued at approximately Rs 40,000 crore. Construction is expected to be shared equally between Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, with each shipyard building three vessels. The proposal is expected to move forward within the next 18 months.
The most ambitious programme is Project 18A, which envisages six next generation surface combatants weighing between 14,000 and 15,000 tonnes, making them among the largest warships ever built in India. Designed for long range deployments, these vessels are expected to feature enhanced strike capabilities, advanced missile defence systems and sophisticated command and control infrastructure. Due to the complexity of the project, construction is likely to begin several years after the proposal is issued.
The planned projects align with India’s push for self reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative while ensuring the Navy maintains a technological edge amid evolving maritime security challenges across the Indo Pacific.
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