Big step towards strengthening maritime security

The Indian Navy is set to induct two indigenous warships and a diesel-electric submarine into its fleet next month. Along with this, the Russian-built frigate INS Tushil is also going to reach India soon. The move is an important initiative towards enhancing maritime security and countering China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean region.

Modern Warships and Submarines: New Dimension of Navy

INS Surat: The largest guided-missile destroyer

• Weight: 7,400 tons
• Properties:
  • India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled warship.
  • Made from 72% indigenous material.
  • Capable of traveling 4,000 nautical miles.
  • Equipped Weapon:
    • BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.
    • Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missile.
    • 76 mm Super Rapid Gun.
    • Anti-submarine weapons.
• Construction: Built under Project-15B.
• Earlier, INS Visakhapatnam, INS Marmugao, and INS Imphal were included under this project.

INS Nilgiri: Pioneer of Stealth Frigate

• Weight: 6,670 tons
• Project: Part of Project-17A.
• Construction:
  • The first frigate of a series of seven multi-role frigates.
  • Four built by MDL and three by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
• Cost: ₹45,000 crore.
• Objective: Equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and weapons.
• All the frigates will be handed over to the Navy by the end of 2026.

Submarine Vagshir: The final jewel of Project-75

• Class: The sixth and final submarine of the Scorpene class.
• Construction: Built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) at a cost of ₹23,000 crore.
• Development:
  • India and France are now in final talks for the construction of three more Scorpene submarines.

Indian Navy’s expansion and future strategy

present situation:

• Indian Navy currently has:
  • 130+ battleships.
  • 251 aircraft and helicopters.
• Under Construction:
  • 60 warships and ships are being built in Indian shipyards.

Challenges and Opportunities:

• By 2030: The Indian Navy’s fleet is expected to be limited to 155-160 warships.
• rival:
  • China currently has more than 370 ships and submarines, including 140 major warships.
  • China has emphasized rapid naval expansion in recent years.

Importance of Navy’s new step

• This step is decisive to effectively counter China’s growing activities in the Indian Ocean region.
• These warships and submarines equipped with state-of-the-art technology and weapons will increase India’s strategic maritime capability.
• Ships like INS Surat and INS Nilgiri also underline the country’s self-reliance.

Future outlook in maritime security

This expansion of the Indian Navy will play an important role in balancing China’s influence in the Indian Ocean region and ensuring regional stability.

• The state-of-the-art warships and submarines will prepare the Indian Navy to face future threats.
• This initiative also strengthens the ‘Make in India’ programme.