Indian Navy Eyes Four Indigenous Amphibious Warships Capable of Launching Drones, Missiles, and Troops to Counter Chinese Threats in IOR

In a major step towards bolstering its maritime strength and strategic autonomy, the Indian Navy is set to launch a tender for the construction of four advanced Landing Platform Docks (LPDs).

This landmark project, valued at approximately ₹80,000 crore, represents one of the most significant investments in surface warship manufacturing in India's history and highlights a commitment to modernising amphibious warfare capabilities in response to the changing security landscape in the Indian Ocean Region.

The proposal is expected to be reviewed by the Defence Ministry in a high-level meeting soon, with the tender likely to be released in the following weeks. This initiative is a cornerstone of the government's ‘Make in India’ policy, ensuring that the entire construction process is handled by domestic firms.

Prominent Indian shipbuilders, including Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), are the primary contenders for this massive contract.

To integrate world-class technology, these companies are expected to partner with international design experts from firms such as Spain’s Navantia, France’s Naval Group, and Italy’s Fincantieri.

This collaborative model aims to facilitate technology transfer and strengthen India's local defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Often described as "floating bases," LPDs are multi-purpose amphibious assault ships designed for a wide range of modern military operations.

These next-generation warships will be equipped to do more than just transport troops and vehicles. They will be engineered to serve as mobile command and control centres for extended coastal operations, reducing dependency on land-based infrastructure.

A key feature of their design is the capacity to launch and operate fixed-wing naval drones, effectively turning them into airborne drone carriers for surveillance and attack missions.

According to defence officials, the LPDs will be armed with sophisticated defensive and offensive systems. This includes comprehensive air defence systems to neutralize aerial threats, long-range anti-ship missiles, and the ability to deploy drone swarms for precision attacks.

This dual capability makes them highly versatile for various missions, including rapid force deployment, contingency operations in distant areas, and crucial humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts.

The Indian Navy's plan to acquire these powerful amphibious assets has been in development for several years, with a formal Request for Information (RFI) first issued in 2021.

The meticulous planning reflects a strategic imperative to enhance India's expeditionary warfare capabilities, particularly as a counterbalance to the growing naval presence of China in the Indian Ocean.

The integration of these LPDs will significantly improve the Navy's ability to conduct joint operations with the Indian Army and Air Force, enabling a swift and decisive response to a spectrum of potential crises.

This massive project is anticipated to be a major catalyst for India's defence industry.

The ₹80,000 crore investment is projected to create thousands of jobs, drive research and development in advanced fields like drone integration, and elevate India's position as a formidable naval power and a self-reliant defence manufacturer on the global stage.

 

[Enforcer]

These are way more useful imo than a regular aircraft carrier since Amphibious warships also carry aircrafts.

American wasp class is the size of Vikrant (40k ton displacement) and carries 6-8 F-35 and various other helicopters.

It can change depending on the mission and carry more fighter and less helicopters.

And obviously it can carry 800 troops, 5-12 tanks, 50-60 trucks, 25 IFV, and 20-30 armored cars.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

These are way more useful imo than a regular aircraft carrier since Amphibious warships also carry aircrafts.

American wasp class is the size of Vikrant (40k ton displacement) and carries 6-8 F-35 and various other helicopters.

It can change depending on the mission and carry more fighter and less helicopters.

And obviously it can carry 800 troops, 5-12 tanks, 50-60 trucks, 25 IFV, and 20-30 armored cars.

But we don't have vertical landing fighters. So our amphibious warships would only be able to carry helicopters. Still very useful.

 

[Aditya Shrivastava]

Navy is doing far better job than Air force in terms of defence indigenisation and procurement.

 

[Jon Bolton]

We need to collaborate with South Korean or Japanese companies instead of these European ones. They are much more efficient at building ships.

 

[Karan]

These are way more useful imo than a regular aircraft carrier since Amphibious warships also carry aircrafts.

American wasp class is the size of Vikrant (40k ton displacement) and carries 6-8 F-35 and various other helicopters.

It can change depending on the mission and carry more fighter and less helicopters.

And obviously it can carry 800 troops, 5-12 tanks, 50-60 trucks, 25 IFV, and 20-30 armored cars.

Not an apples-to-apples comparison...

F-35B on Wasp class is VTOL or STOVL, hence the ease of use.

There is no STOL or VTOL jet in Indian inventory that can even operate from an aircraft carrier, let alone an amphibious vessel. The MiG-29K or Rafale M with the IN aren't even proper STOL but more of assisted STOL with ski jumps.

More likely, it would double as an advanced drone and helicopter carrier for omni-role ISR and strike missions, along with a mobile offshore command and control center (C2) for sustained out-of-area seaborne operations without requiring constant land support and supplies (as the article and IN statement dictate), along with the conventional use of rapid force projection and HADR.These LPDs also carry enough AD, EW, and anti-ship or surface-to-surface arsenal for a possible land strike, to serve as an area denial or defence platform.

Most likely, this was spurred by the Chinese launch of the Type 076 Sichuan, which is the largest amphibious ship and has an electromagnetic catapult and arresting gear.US power play in Pakistan and Bangladesh no doubt exacerbated the need for such vessels to be fast-tracked for development.

 

[Karan]

Navy is doing far better job than Air force in terms of defence indigenisation and procurement.

The Air Force can't do much on indigenous development if DRDO and HAL don't pull up their socks and get to work on fast development and delivery of domestic solutions. IAF concern is the ageing fleet, shrinking squadrons and fast evolving asymmetric warfare mission requirements. Better to fill the gap with the most fitting equipment even if it's foreign. We can't waste decades for HAL to get its act straight.

 

[Sandeep]

While we need to buy these LPD we should design, develop and manufacture it 100% indigenously or as close to that figure as much as possible. We should not develop a joint venture with a foreign company and transfers critical technology to us or get to manufacture that critical technology, parts or components along with a substantial amount of metal used throughout the ship.

This year we are either planning to or going to make a lot of large and very expensive defence weapons, technology or projects which will put a massive strain on the defence budget.

For the air force we might buy the Rafale jets for around $25 billion. We will buy the Rafale Marine for about $8 billion. We will buy the P75I submarines for $8.5 billion. We will buy 3 more Kalvari submarines for about $4 billion. We will buy 156 Prachand for about $7 billion. T90 upgrade, anti submarine torpedo, and AWACS for about $6.5 billion. Armoured recovery vehicle, EW and QRSAM for about $12 billion etc and a lot more.

There’s still a lot more weapons and technology that’s been ordered or still need to be ordered costing billions more. While we don’t pay all of it in one go we still have to pay for it based on a payment plan.

 

[Ravindra Kapoor]

The LPD project was under active consideration over 15 years ago. An RFP was issued, and the Indian shipyards being referred to here were in the fray too. The reasons for the withdrawal are perhaps known best to the MoD/Indian Navy.

 

[Aditya Khullar]

Good choice, Italian LPDs have 38,000t displacement, so they will easily carry ∼25 helicopters and a few MQ-9s and our future indigenous drones. Two can be attached to each fleet and then it will increase the air power of our CBGs.