The Indian Navy is laying the groundwork for a massive naval expansion, planning three highly advanced indigenous warship projects valued at up to Rs 1 lakh crore. Currently undergoing internal consultations and planning before entering the formal defense acquisition pipeline, these programs—spanning next-generation destroyers, stealth frigates, and massive large surface combatants—will form the backbone of India’s future blue-water surface fleet amid rising strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific.
Project 15C: Next-Generation Guided-Missile Destroyers The largest financial commitment belongs to Project 15C, a Rs 50,000 crore initiative to build four next-generation guided-missile destroyers. Building upon the proven capabilities of the existing Kolkata-class (Project 15A) and Visakhapatnam-class (Project 15B) destroyers, these new warships will feature upgraded sensors, modern weaponry, advanced electronic warfare suites, and superior air defense systems. The Ministry of Defence expects to issue the Request for Proposal (RFP) within the next year, with construction slated to begin roughly three years later following design approvals and procurement clearances.
Project 17B: Advanced Stealth Frigates For its frigate fleet, the Navy intends to construct six advanced stealth frigates under Project 17B, budgeted at Rs 40,000 crore. In line with the government’s push for distributed domestic manufacturing and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the production workload will be divided equally between India’s premier defense shipyards: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) will each build three vessels. The RFP for Project 17B is scheduled for release in about 18 months, with construction kicking off approximately four years after issuance.
Project 18A: Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants The most ambitious and complex undertaking is Project 18A, focused on developing six massive next-generation large surface combatants. Displacing between 14,000 and 15,000 tonnes, these will rank among the largest combat vessels ever designed and built in India. They are being engineered for heavy strike capabilities, advanced air and missile defense, robust command-and-control infrastructure, and the high endurance required for extended, far-flung missions. Because Project 18A is in its early formulation stages, the RFP is anticipated in three years, with actual construction projected to begin in about eight years.
This multi-decade modernization push arrives as India moves to secure its qualitative edge in the Indian Ocean Region while projecting power deeper into the wider Indo-Pacific. By channeling these massive contracts to domestic shipyards like MDL and GRSE, the programs will significantly reinforce India’s indigenous industrial base for frontline naval warfare.
