Navy set to bolster posture in Indian Ocean with new warships, submarine

India's shipbuilding prowess and steps being taken to bolster its maritime posture in the vast Indian Ocean Region (IOR), where China is seeking to boost its influence, will be in sharp focus as the navy gets ready to commission three major combat platforms into service on January 15, officials aware of the development said on Wednesday.

- Rahul Singh

The rare simultaneous induction of two warships and a submarine at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai will also put the spotlight on the navy's fast-paced indigenisation and how it is working on becoming fully self-reliant by 2047 when India celebrates 100 years of Independence—60 warships are under construction at various shipyards, the officials added.

The navy is also about to conclude two key deals with France for 26 new Rafale-M fighter jets and three more Scorpene-class submarines.

Vaghsheer, the sixth and final submarine of the Scorpene-class project—together at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai,” the navy said. The new platforms will boost the navy's operational capabilities and combat readiness in the IOR—a strategic maritime expanse where the challenges include China's carefully calculated power play for influence and defending the rules-based international order. The move comes at a time when China is seeking to expand its maritime footprint in the region by setting up military bases, pushing countries to advance its maritime claims and forcing strategic concessions from vulnerable states.

India has consistently called for a free, open and inclusive order in the IOR, pivoting on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, while stressing on peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and under the framework of international laws.

The three new platforms are a testament to India's growing self-reliance in the critical domain of defence production, the navy said. “The commissioning of these advanced warships and the submarine will highlight the rapid progress made in warship design and construction, cementing India's position as a global leader in defence manufacturing.”