To prepare for tougher challenges in the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy has asked for new warships. The Indian Navy seeks warships which are capable of carrying as many as 3000 troops along with battle tanks. But the government is indecisive as to which one out of the two competing companies should get the contract.

As reported by Asia Times, choosing one company over the other could lead to political repercussions and hence the political dilemma over the contract is resulting in an unprecedented delay. This delay could be crucial for the Indian Navy given the tough challenges lined up ahead amid threats from China and Pakistan. Larsen and Turbo and Reliance Naval Engineering Limited are the two big sharks competing for the contract.

The opposition has alleged that the government is exhibiting a bias towards Reliance Naval Engineering Limited. On the other hand, Reliance has accused senior navy officers of displaying a sense of favouritism towards Larsen and Turbo. The deal as per Asia Times has been estimated to be of worth $3 billion.

The diesel-electric propulsion ships which the Indian Navy seeks will be capable of staying deployed at sea for at least 45 days. These would be able to carry diesel-electric propulsion ships will be able to carry helicopters, 6 battle tanks, 20 infantry combat vehicles, 40 heavy military trucks and large troops hence adding a new might to India’s naval capabilities.

The idea behind having these diesel-electric propulsion ships is to bolster India’s military capabilities in the Indian Ocean. This capability will be strategic in defining India’s policies on Indo-Pacific where China is the biggest opponent. But political delays are hurting the ambitions of the Indian Navy as the contract is yet to be awarded. How long will the Indian Navy have to wait for their diesel-electric propulsion ships?