INS Kalvari first of the 6 indigenous submarines currently in service with the Indian Navy

India is set to significantly enhance its maritime defence capabilities with a major expansion of its naval shipbuilding infrastructure, driven by the lessons and momentum gained from the Indian Navy’s assertive manoeuvres during Operation Sindoor in the Arabian Sea.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), a premier state-owned shipyard, will invest between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000 crore to expand its facilities in Mumbai.

This initiative aims to strengthen the Navy’s fleet with more advanced warships and submarines, supporting the ambitious goal of a 175 Capital Ship Navy by 2047.

MDL’s expansion plan includes reclaiming 10 acres of marine area adjacent to its current Mumbai campus to construct two new basins, which will enable the simultaneous building and repair of large warships and submarines.

This will double the shipyard’s deadweight handling capacity from 40,000 tons to 80,000 tons, with a longer-term target of reaching 2,00,000 deadweight tonnes by leveraging 37 acres of land already secured at Nhava Sheva port.

Additionally, MDL has begun shipbuilding activities on a 29-year lease for 15 acres from the Mumbai Port Authority, positioning it to meet the Indian Navy’s growing demand for cutting-edge naval platforms.

Currently, MDL can construct 11 submarines and 10 warships simultaneously, a capacity set to increase as the shipyard undertakes two major submarine projects for the Navy valued at over ₹1.06 lakh crore. 

How Will This Crucial Expansion Enhance India's Undersea Warfare Capabilities

The critical expansion at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) is poised to significantly enhance India’s undersea warfare capabilities through several key developments:

Increased Submarine Construction Capacity: The new infrastructure will enable MDL to build and repair more submarines simultaneously, expanding beyond its current capacity of 11 submarines at once. This will accelerate the delivery of advanced platforms, crucial for keeping pace with regional naval powers and meeting the Navy’s ambitious fleet targets.

Support For Major Submarine Projects: MDL is already engaged in two large-scale submarine projects for the Indian Navy, valued at over ₹1.06 lakh crore. These projects are expected to be transformative, furthering India’s strategic deterrence and combat readiness in the Indian Ocean Region.

Timely Construction and Upgrades: The expanded facilities will allow for quicker construction, repair, and upgrade cycles, ensuring that critical undersea assets remain modern and operationally ready. The Ministry of Defence has emphasized that this will help maintain fleet readiness and timely delivery of new vessels.

Boost To Indigenous Manufacturing: By increasing domestic capacity and modernizing shipyard infrastructure, India aims to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and enhance self-reliance in defence manufacturing. This is vital for sustaining a technologically advanced and resilient undersea fleet.

Strategic Deterrence: The expansion supports the Navy’s broader objective of establishing a robust sea-based deterrent, especially as India inducts more nuclear-powered and advanced conventional submarines. These assets are essential for countering adversaries and ensuring maritime security in the increasingly contested Indian Ocean.

Strategic Gains

Countering Regional Adversaries: The primary driver is to counter China’s rapidly expanding naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), where China now fields the world’s largest navy and has established overseas bases. A larger, modern Indian fleet is essential for credible deterrence, ensuring India can protect its interests and respond to any assertive moves by China or other regional powers.

Strategic Reach And Mobility: Expanding to 175 capital ships will give India greater operational reach, flexibility, and the ability to project power well beyond its immediate coastline. This is vital for safeguarding sea lines of communication, supporting expeditionary operations, and maintaining a robust presence in critical chokepoints across the IOR and beyond.

Maritime Security Provider Role: By growing its fleet, India aims to reinforce its status as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean, capable of leading joint operations, anti-piracy patrols, and humanitarian missions. This strengthens India’s partnerships with Quad members (US, Japan, Australia) and other like-minded nations, enhancing collective security in the Indo-Pacific.

Self-Reliance And Indigenisation: The expansion is closely tied to India’s push for 100% indigenisation in warship and submarine manufacturing, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and boosting the domestic defence industry. This supports strategic autonomy and technological advancement.

Securing Trade And Economic Interests: With 95% of India’s trade by volume moving by sea, a powerful navy is essential for protecting maritime trade routes, deterring threats to shipping, and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of energy and goods.

Supporting Global Power Ambitions: Achieving a 175-ship navy aligns with India’s broader vision to become a top global shipbuilder and a major maritime power by 2047. This includes enhancing port infrastructure, building shipbuilding parks, and increasing India’s share of global cargo traffic, all of which reinforce India’s economic and geopolitical standing.

Summary

These projects are expected to significantly bolster India’s undersea warfare capabilities. Despite these advances, India’s shipbuilding output remains well behind China, which possesses the world’s largest naval fleet with over 370 ships. However, by expanding indigenous manufacturing and modernizing shipyard infrastructure, India aims to narrow this gap and reinforce its maritime strength.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the new facilities will support both the construction and timely repair and upgrade of naval assets, aligning with India’s strategic vision to ensure the prompt delivery of critical platforms. MDL, which recently marked its 250th anniversary, boasts a legacy of building over 800 ships—including 31 capital warships and eight submarines—and exporting 214 vessels internationally.

This expansion is a direct response to the operational lessons from Operation Sindoor, where the Indian Navy’s aggressive deployment and maritime dominance effectively confined Pakistani naval assets to their ports, demonstrating India’s growing naval prowess and strategic deterrence.

The move is expected to play a pivotal role in achieving the Navy’s indigenisation and fleet expansion targets by 2047, marking a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of strategic self-reliance and maritime dominance.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)