For the first time, Delhi has simultaneously put into service three warships that were all constructed in India, which is a significant proclamation of intent in and of itself. It also signifies military self-sufficiency.
Delhi, New Delhi:
On Wednesday, India made history by putting into service two warships that were developed and built in the country: an attack submarine and a class-leading stealth frigate and guided missile destroyer.
For the first time, Delhi has simultaneously put into service three warships that were all constructed in India, which is a significant proclamation of intent in and of itself. It also signifies military self-sufficiency.
However, it has also been interpreted as a robust response to Beijing as China and India compete for strategic control of the Indian Ocean region and Pakistan plans to construct a 50-ship Navy with Chinese assistance.
Additionally, it is a significant step in Delhi's intentions to update its (mainly) Soviet-era weapons, a massive undertaking for which the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent over $15 billion on domestic defense manufacture last year, according to the Defense Ministry.
Mr. Modi intends to rapidly grow and extend the nation's warship and submarine fleets as part of that military overhaul, with a focus on the BJP's 'Make in India' campaign.
The government claims that more than 75% of the battleships were internally developed.
"India is now becoming a major maritime power... (and) the commissioning of three frontline naval combatants will strengthen our efforts to become a global leader and augment our quest for self-reliance," he said during the induction of INS Vaghsheer, INS Surat, and INS Nilgiri into the Indian Navy.
"We have taken a big step towards getting the Navy ready for this century," said PM Modi.
Implications for the Indian Navy
Given the sluggish shipbuilding in the nation—a problem at a time when China is quickly expanding—the simultaneous induction of three attack vessels is a red-letter day for the Navy.
India has introduced 33 warships in the past ten years to emphasize that message.
China is thought to have boarded an astounding 148 warships during that time.
Although the deployment of two warships and a submarine, regardless of their respective capabilities, would not resolve India's issues with China and Pakistan in the Indian Ocean region, it will set a precedent for the Navy's future attack boats to be built and put into service quickly.
The fact that it only took 31 months, or less than three years, for the destroyer to proceed from launch to commissioning has further highlighted that. It took up to 50 months for ships in this class in the past.
According to Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, the enhancements would improve the capabilities of its naval forces and increase their effectiveness in defending the nation's maritime interests.
He added that 62 more warships and a submarine are in the works.
The New Resources of the Navy
The stealthy INS Nilgiri is the flagship of Project 17A, a new class of frigates that will include seven ships and represent a significant advancement over the Shivalik class that is currently in service.
An estimated Rs 4,000 crore would be spent on each ship of this class, which was created by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau and includes cutting-edge technology for improved attack and stealth capabilities, mirroring next-generation frigates. These are being constructed at Kolkata and Mumbai dockyards.
The Nilgiri's commanding officer, Captain Nitin Kapoor, told a digital newspaper that a redesigned upper deck was the reason for the ship's enhanced stealth capability. According to him, traditional fixtures like anchors have been relocated to a concealed "mooring deck" in order to better reduce the radar signal.
The final vessel of the Visakhapatnam class, which is regarded as the Navy's most potent surface combatant, is the guided missile destroyer INS Surat, which is bigger than the Nilgiri at about 8,000 tons. It includes Ukrainian as well as Israeli and Russian battleship components.
However, the Surat's designation as India's first "AI-enabled" warship is arguably the most remarkable.
Image shared by @SpokespersonMoD on X
The final of four warships in the class, INS Surat will cost Rs 8,950 crore each.
Of these four, the Surat has been praised as the best. The Project 15B ships are a significant improvement over the Kolkata-class destroyers. INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, and INS Imphal were the three others that were put into service in November 2021, December 2022, and December 2023, respectively.
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missiles will be among the weapons that these ships will carry, along with a variety of mounted guns.
Superior stealth characteristics like an enhanced sound absorption technology and a novel air-independent propulsion system have already earned the INS Vagsheer a terrifying reputation as a "hunter-killer" submarine.
The image that @SpokespersonMoD tweeted on X
Targeting and eliminating adversaries from the air and sea, this is the final of six new-generation diesel-electric submarines in the Scorpene class that are capable of firing torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
According to officials, India's most recent and lethal submarines are capable of conducting both surface and submerged missions, as well as intelligence gathering, minelaying, and area surveillance.
Rs 3,942 crore is the cost of each Scorpene-class sub.
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