INS Jalashwa - the Navy's sole operational landing platform dock

The Indian Navy's Multi-Role Support Vessel (MRSV) Program, also referred to as Landing Platform Docks (LPD) procurement, is a major initiative to acquire amphibious warfare vessels designed to enhance the Navy's capabilities in amphibious warfare, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and auxiliary roles.

The MRSV ships are intended to provide strategic mobility, island protection, and command and control functions during maritime operations.

The program began officially around 2011, with India planning to procure four landing platform docks from foreign naval firms under the "Buy and Make (Indian)" category. An initial Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued in 2013 to several domestic shipbuilders including Larsen & Toubro (L&T), ABG Shipyard, Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL), and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL). 

These private shipyards partnered with international defence conglomerates such as Navantia (Spain) and Naval Group/DCNS (France) to bid for the contracts. However, ABG Shipyard was disqualified due to financial issues, and RDEL later became financially unsuitable, leaving L&T as the primary contender.

Originally, the plan was for the winning private shipyard to build two vessels while the remaining two would be constructed by the state-owned HSL. However, later revised bids proposed private shipyards building all four ships. The selected designs were either based on the Spanish Juan Carlos I-class or the French Mistral-class amphibious assault vessels.

The ships under this program are projected to be around 200 meters long with displacements in the range of 30,000 to 40,000 tons. They are expected to have integrated electric propulsion, cruise speeds between 14 to 16 knots, and maximum speeds above 20 knots.

The vessels will be capable of carrying a significant number of troops (up to 900), armoured vehicles, Main Battle Tanks, and helicopters, enhancing both their amphibious assault and rapid deployment capabilities.

However, the program has faced repeated delays due to changing qualitative requirements, technological advancements, and financial constraints affecting participating shipbuilders. In October 2020, the Indian Navy scrapped the original tender to revise specifications to meet modern amphibious warfare challenges.

As of 2025, the Indian Navy is preparing to launch a fresh tender for advanced landing platform docks with a much larger budget estimated at around ₹80,000 crore (approximately USD 10 billion). This marks a renewed effort to acquire four state-of-the-art amphibious warships tailored for enhanced amphibious assault, humanitarian relief, and strategic maritime support missions.

The fresh tender is likely to prioritize contemporary technological capabilities and indigenous construction where possible.

Currently, the Indian Navy operates one amphibious vessel, INS Jalashwa, an ex-US Navy Austin-class amphibious transport dock acquired in 2007. The MRSV project aims to significantly augment the Navy's amphibious and expeditionary warfare capabilities, addressing current gaps highlighted by audits and operational assessments.

The MRSV program represents a critical step in modernizing the Indian Navy's amphibious warfare and maritime strategic transport capabilities with a future fleet of four advanced landing platform docks, designed to operate a variety of military and support operations across India's maritime domains.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)