Since December 2024, the Indian Navy has achieved a record by launching 12 new vessels, including 11 warships and one submarine, marking its most rapid shipbuilding phase to date.

The construction timeline for warships has been cut dramatically from the previous 55-60 months down to just 31 months, exemplified by the guided missile destroyer INS Surat, commissioned in January 2025 in 31 months.

This rapid pace will accelerate further with plans to add 17 more ships in 2026, comprising guided missile frigates, offshore patrol vessels, multi-purpose vessels, and anti-submarine warfare vessels. Currently, the Navy commissions one ship every 40 days, though this still lags behind the United States (one ship every 18 days) and China (one ship per week).​

India is also augmenting its underwater combat capabilities through Project 75I, aimed at acquiring six advanced conventional submarines equipped with German-provided Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems.

This initiative will increase underwater endurance, allowing submarines to stay submerged for extended periods, close to three weeks. Price negotiations for this nearly ₹43,000 crore deal are underway, focusing on indigenous construction at Mazagon Dockyards Limited with ThyssenKrupp Maritime Systems supplying the AIP technology.

This complements India’s plan for a nuclear attack submarine from Russia by 2028 and ramping up Rafale-Marine fighter jet acquisitions to enhance power projection in the Indo-Pacific.​

The strategic impetus for India's naval expansion stems from regional maritime security concerns, particularly the growing naval capabilities of China and Pakistan. Pakistan currently operates 53 combatants, including five submarines (Agosta and Yuan/Hangor classes) and several frigates, with four Hangor-class submarines under construction in Wuhan and more in Karachi.

China’s naval expansion includes commissioning its latest 80,000-tonne carrier, the Fujian. India perceives Beijing's support to Islamabad in naval build-up as a direct challenge, accentuating the need for accelerated indigenous submarine and warship construction.​

In parallel, India is strengthening maritime cooperation with the United States, focusing on enhanced bilateral exercises, training complexity, and improved operational interoperability in the Indo-Pacific. 

Indian Navy Chief Admiral Tripathi's recent visit to the US Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii led to agreements on deepening collaboration in emerging domains such as unmanned systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), cyber, and space-enabled maritime operations.

This strategic partnership aims to bolster readiness and maritime domain awareness against regional threats.​

The Indian Navy is making historic strides in cutting construction times, expanding its fleet substantially, and boosting capabilities with new submarines and aircraft, positioning itself for enhanced maritime dominance and deterrence across the Indo-Pacific in a complex geopolitical environment.​

Based On HT Report