The Indian Navy has launched its largest-ever shipbuilding initiative, a move that underscores New Delhi’s determination to become a self-reliant maritime power in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region. According to reports published by The Hindu on September 22, India currently has 54 vessels under construction across its shipyards, an unprecedented number that reflects both growing security concerns and aspirations of global naval prominence.

Senior officials revealed that ten of these warships are expected to be commissioned by December 2025, with the remaining ships scheduled to enter service by 2030. By 2035, India’s naval fleet is projected to cross the 200-ship mark, with the possibility of reaching as high as 230 by 2037. This would represent one of the most significant expansions of any major navy in the world and bring India closer to matching the maritime capabilities of regional rivals like China.

Currently, the Indian Navy maintains around 140 warships, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, and submarines. The planned expansion would nearly double its existing strength within the next decade, a signal of both ambition and necessity as New Delhi responds to increasing Chinese naval activities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

At the heart of this expansion lies the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, which seeks to reduce dependence on foreign arms imports and bolster indigenous defense manufacturing. Shipbuilding, in particular, has become a........

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