Indian Navy Aims to Expand Fleet to 175 Ships, Bolstering Maritime Capabilities

The Indian Navy is targeting the establishment of a fleet of 175 ships by 2035, with plans to incorporate submarines. Concurrently, a video showcasing the warship Himgiri, slated for commissioning in Visakhapatnam, was released. The Navy is poised to receive approximately 17 new warships and 9 submarines, currently in various approval stages. Currently, construction of 61 warships and submarines is underway across different phases, with new vessels slated to be built domestically. Proposals include the Project 17B, valued at 70,000 crore rupees, for seven next-generation frigates and two multi-purpose vessels. Furthermore, Project 75 India (I) will see the creation of six advanced submarines at a cost of 70,000 crore rupees, and Project 75 (Add-on) will produce three Scorpene-class submarines for about 36,000 crore rupees. An additional plan is in place for eight Next Generation Corvettes, budgeted at approximately 36,000 crore rupees. The combined cost of all projects will exceed 2.40 lakh crore rupees. While the Chinese PLA Navy currently boasts the world’s largest navy with 355 warships and submarines, the Indian Navy possesses over 130 ships and submarines. The need for new vessels is driven by the rapid obsolescence of existing platforms to enhance overall capabilities, despite the presence of several older submarines within the Indian Navy.