Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has announced that the Indian Navy will induct or commission 18 warships in 2026, marking the largest single-year force accretion in its history.

The announcement came during the second edition of the Navy's biannual Commanders' Conference at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi on September 29, where Singh described 2026 as a historic year for the force.

The planned inductions underscore the rapid expansion of India's naval capabilities and the maturation of its domestic shipbuilding ecosystem. Singh emphasised that the vessels, comprising frontline combat platforms and specialised support ships, are being constructed at Indian shipyards, reflecting the government's push for self-reliance in defence production.

He noted that recently commissioned warships have more than 75 per cent indigenous content and called for India to move beyond meeting domestic requirements to exporting warships to friendly foreign nations.

The Navy's induction drive has gathered significant momentum over the past few years. In 2022, India achieved two major milestones with the commissioning of INS Vikrant, the country's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, on September 2. Designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Vikrant represented a major leap in India's ability to design and construct complex warships domestically. Later that year, on December 18, INS Mormugao, the second Project 15B stealth guided-missile destroyer, was commissioned. Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, it is part of the four-ship Visakhapatnam-class programme.

In 2023, the pace continued with the commissioning of INS Vagir, the fifth Kalvari-class submarine, in January. INS Imphal, the third Project 15B stealth guided-missile destroyer, followed in December as the third of the four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers.

The Indian Navy also re-commissioned INS Tarmugli, a Trinkat-class Fast Attack Craft, on December 14. The vessel had earlier been handed over to the Maldives and was returned to India after the Maldives received INS Huravee. It was subsequently refitted and re-commissioned into service.

The year 2024 saw the induction of specialised vessels and submarines. INS Arighaat, the second Arihant-class submarine, was commissioned on August 29 at Visakhapatnam. INS Sandhayak, the first Survey Vessel (Large), was commissioned in February, while INS Nirdeshak, the second ship of the class, was commissioned in December.

The year also witnessed the commissioning of INS Tushil, a multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, at Russia's Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad on December 9. Two other major warships, INS Surat and INS Nilgiri, were delivered to the Indian Navy in December 2024 and subsequently commissioned on January 15, 2025, with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders recording their delivery on December 20, 2024.

The tempo increased sharply in 2025, when the Indian Navy commissioned 12 ships and submarines, according to the Ministry of Defence. The year began with the commissioning of three major platforms on January 15: INS Surat, the final Project 15B destroyer; INS Nilgiri, the first Project 17A stealth frigate; and INS Vaghsheer, the sixth and final submarine of the Project 75 program. Subsequent additions included INS Arnala, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft; INS Tamal, a stealth-guided missile frigate commissioned at Russia's Yantar Shipyard; INS Nistar, a Diving Support Vessel; INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, both Project 17A stealth frigates; INS Androth, an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft; INS Ikshak, the third Survey Vessel (Large); INS Mahe, the first ship of the ASW Shallow Water Craft project; and A20, the first ship of the Diving Support Craft project.

Now, with 18 warships planned for induction or commissioning in 2026, the Navy is aiming for an even larger jump. Singh highlighted that Indian warships are now deployed in regions such as the South China Sea, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, reflecting the force's growing blue-water capabilities.

The three-day Commanders' Conference, held from September 29 to October 1, brings together the Navy's senior leadership to review operational preparedness, maritime security and future capability development. Singh also called for a major upgrade to India's maritime surveillance architecture, citing the growing complexity of the maritime domain caused by congestion, deception and grey-zone activities.

Agencies