Indian Navy Seeks Four New Landing Platform Docks for Amphibious Operations, HSL and L&T Compete with Foreign Partnerships

The Indian Navy is taking significant steps to bolster its amphibious warfare capabilities with the planned acquisition of four new Landing Platform Docks (LPDs). These versatile vessels are envisioned to be crucial assets for a range of operations, from amphibious assaults and troop deployments to disaster relief efforts and humanitarian missions.

While the Indian Navy is keen to enhance its capabilities, a key decision remains: whether to pursue an entirely indigenous design or to collaborate with foreign partners for these critical platforms.

In 2021, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) released a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of four LPDs, specifically designed to be built by Indian shipyards. However, recognizing the complexity of these vessels, the RFI allows Indian shipyards to partner with foreign defense companies for design and technology assistance. This approach aligns with India's broader push for self-reliance in defense manufacturing while acknowledging the value of international collaboration.

Two major Indian shipyards have emerged as frontrunners in this competition, each with a foreign partner:

• Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has partnered with France's Naval Group, a company with extensive experience in designing and building amphibious warfare vessels. This partnership brings significant expertise to HSL's bid.
• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has teamed up with Spain's Navantia, proposing a variant of the Juan Carlos I, a highly capable and versatile LPD currently in service with the Spanish Navy and other international fleets.

The LPD program faces several challenges, including budgetary constraints, technology transfer agreements, and ensuring timely delivery. However, the Indian government's emphasis on indigenous manufacturing and its willingness to engage with private sector shipyards offer a promising framework for overcoming these hurdles.

A final decision on the design and production pathway is expected soon, marking a critical step in the Indian Navy's modernization efforts. Whether through a fully indigenous design or a foreign partnership, the LPD program promises to significantly enhance India's amphibious capabilities and overall operational readiness. These new vessels will be instrumental in projecting India's naval power and supporting its strategic interests in the region and beyond.

 

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[moorthytm]

both options are technologically obsolete compated to San Antonio class at 25000 tonnes which more suitable, Indian govt should request US govt to assist via HHI to assist L& T to construct the LPD and also request America class LHD at 50000 tonnes, momentarily IN should start bukding up its Marine forces to at Least 50,000 manpower

 

[Anant]

Finally! An excellent step, though one that is somewhat delayed.

Ideally, given that we have never designed amphibious assault ships ourselves that are larger than our 1,000 ton Mk. IV LCUs, we should be going for some form of foreign collaboration.

Both the Mistral and Juan Carlos I designs are excellent in their own way. The Mistrals focusing more on command of amphibious operations and a longer endurance at a smaller size, and French amphibious doctrine is to have a couple of smaller LCUs supporting a Mistral. The Juan Carlos I, on the other hand, focuses on being an amphibious command and warfare ship at once, and is somewhat larger, but at a lower endurance.

If we do go for a collaborative design, either of these would be exceptional to our needs. The one major advantage that the Spanish design has is that it is very close to a full aircraft carrier in terms of size, and has a ski jump. Having those allows for a greater spectrum of UAV operations as well as if we decide to, say, put a half dozen or so Tejas Ns onboard for point defence and CAP duties.

All in all, fantastic to see the Navy progressing on now. The only thing is that we need to hurry. The Jalashwa (ex-Trenton) is extremely old, and will have to be decommissioned in another decade or so. That will also be the time the LCU INS Gharial will be up for decommissioning, so these four LHDs would be needed to take up those roles too, unless we decide to build another couple of LSTs (which we should, but one project at a time).

 

[Abhishek Kumar]

well they can get inspiration from san Antonio class us navy, much better than spanish or frenchy

 

[GMR]

Go for own design, take reference from established ones.. if design bureau can design AC, why not LPD!! Best of luck

 

[desigandu]

Build domestically with Spains Navantia the Juan Carlos with some modifications! Can L&T do the job with delivery starting 2030 of the 1st ship, follow on every 2-3 years…
We must ensure IEC, a ski-jump primarily for drones, helos but at some point if TEDBFs or Tejas-N even with a limited payload can do STOL or VSTOL type capability even with 6 jets per ship, we can extend deep in IOR…
Also the ships must be heavily armed and have good sensors so can operate in a small CBG type operation, similar to recent Gulf operations by IN but with air power…
Way to go - now let us move forward, but at the same time approve IAC-2 too…

 

[Anant]

Build domestically with Spains Navantia the Juan Carlos with some modifications! Can L&T do the job with delivery starting 2030 of the 1st ship, follow on every 2-3 years…
We must ensure IEC, a ski-jump primarily for drones, helos but at some point if TEDBFs or Tejas-N even with a limited payload can do STOL or VSTOL type capability even with 6 jets per ship, we can extend deep in IOR…
Also the ships must be heavily armed and have good sensors so can operate in a small CBG type operation, similar to recent Gulf operations by IN but with air power…
Way to go - now let us move forward, but at the same time approve IAC-2 too…

Sir, even if we place the first orders in 2025, the ship won't be ready by 2032 or so. That said, if we do something like that, we could expect all four to be in service before 2040.

As for fighters, I don't think something like the TEDBF would be usable from such a LHD. Drones or a LCA would be far more suitable.

 

[Anant]

Go for own design, take reference from established ones.. if design bureau can design AC, why not LPD!! Best of luck

We did design Vikrant by ourselves, but we did take a fair bit of help from Fincantieri, and the same is evident in Vikrant's design, where we have design influences from the Cavour.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

The design of American 45000 tons LPH/LPD must be taken modified for Indian requirements and produced with using them as aircraft carriers also with F-35 B aircraft and heavy lift helicopters.

 

[Anant]

The design of American 45000 tons LPH/LPD must be taken modified for Indian requirements and produced with using them as aircraft carriers also with F-35 B aircraft and heavy lift helicopters.

Sir, besides the fact that the US hasn't offered F-35s to us, the US LHA designs would be way too expensive. Each of the Wasp-class LHD costs roughly 2.4 billion USD, while the America-class LHA comes at over 4.5 billion USD. Neither of those is even remotely affordable for us.

 

[Neal.B]

Acquiring only 4 seems little less. 6 could be a good number as 4 of them will be always off the shore for both east and west coast of India and 2 in maintenance.

 

[desigandu]

Sir, besides the fact that the US hasn't offered F-35s to us, the US LHA designs would be way too expensive. Each of the Wasp-class LHD costs roughly 2.4 billion USD, while the America-class LHA comes at over 4.5 billion USD. Neither of those is even remotely affordable for us.

Agreed, we need our own smaller designs for LPDs/LHDs at least till 2050, in a maximum 30000 ton class…
Note - We will have 2-3 smallish carriers in the 45000 ton class, and hopefully in 2040s at least 2 carriers in the 65-75000 ton class…Thus smaller LPDs/LHDs makes sense as our theatres are mostly in IOR and near pacific, and of course our limited budgets…

 

[desigandu]

We did design Vikrant by ourselves, but we did take a fair bit of help from Fincantieri, and the same is evident in Vikrant's design, where we have design influences from the Cavour.

We could design it ourselves, but a collaboration say with a Navantia can accelerate the deliveries…Of course production must only be in India…

 

[Anant]

We could design it ourselves, but a collaboration say with a Navantia can accelerate the deliveries…Of course production must only be in India…

Production would be in India only, Sir. Heck, even when Australia and Turkey built two and one ship respectively of thr same design as the Juan Carlos I, both ships were built to varying degrees in the respective nations.

Both Australian ships had hulls built in Spain due to not having a large enough drydock in Australia, while the Turkish ship was built entirely in Turkey. With a potential four ship order, especially given India's far larger shipbuilding industry, if we did go for the Spanish design, the ships would be built entirely in India.

As for the Mistral design, the only two ships exported so far are with Egypt. These were built for Russia in France, but thanks to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, the ships were not delivered and later sold to Egypt. However, the original deal with Russia called for six ships, with two to be built in France and four in Russia. Therefore, even if we go with the French design, all four ships would be built in India.

 

[Anant]

Acquiring only 4 seems little less. 6 could be a good number as 4 of them will be always off the shore for both east and west coast of India and 2 in maintenance.

The idea of having four would allow for the LSTs to be based in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with two LHDs on each coast. As and when we do build the replacement LSTs for the Magar-clsss, we would have a larger amphibious warfare fleet.

That said, six LHDs would be an expense too large given other needs such as the MCMV shortage, etc.

 

[Anant]

well they can get inspiration from san Antonio class us navy , much better than spanish or frenchy

The San Antonio-class vessels are LPDs, while the Juan Carlos I-class and Mistral-class are LHDs. The challenge here is that LPDs have a more fixed role profile. LHDs can double as helicopter carriers in times of war if need be, and usually carry a pretty large helicopter complement (anything between 10 and 25-30). LPDs, on the other hand, have relatively limited utility outside transportation and amphibious warfare scenarios, and this is evidenced by their limited helicopter storage (almost always in the single digits).

Our LHDs would have to function both in amphibious warfare and HADR missions, as well as double as full helicopter carriers in times of war. For that to happen, a LHD would be far better.

 

[Anant]

well they can get inspiration from san Antonio class us navy, much better than spanish or frenchy

The San Antonio-class vessels are LPDs, while the Juan Carlos I-class and Mistral-class are LHDs. The challenge here is that LPDs have a more fixed role profile. LHDs can double as helicopter carriers in times of war if need be, and usually carry a pretty large helicopter complement (anything between 10 and 25-30). LPDs, on the other hand, have relatively limited utility outside transportation and amphibious warfare scenarios, and this is evidenced by their limited helicopter storage (almost always in the single digits).

Our LHDs would have to function both in amphibious warfare and HADR missions, as well as double as full helicopter carriers in times of war. For that to happen, a LHD would be far better.

 

[Sandeep]

India should design, develop and manufacture a 100% indigenous LPD rather than manufacture another foreign expensive version under a licence. The problem is that we don’t get all of the critical technology or manufacture a lot of it indigenously.

If we currently and urgently need a LPD then the UK are retiring two of their LPD which is still in good condition but it requires an upgrade which can easily be done indigenously at a low cost. This upgrade can easily last for around 10 years which gives us more time to develop and manufacture our own LPD.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

Sir, besides the fact that the US hasn't offered F-35s to us, the US LHA designs would be way too expensive. Each of the Wasp-class LHD costs roughly 2.4 billion USD, while the America-class LHA comes at over 4.5 billion USD. Neither of those is even remotely affordable for us.

The vessels built in late 20s and 30s will sail for next 40 years till 2070 . With a growing economy the govt has to increase the defense budget for a growing 5 trillion to 55 trillion economy by 2050. The navy has to have Global reach by 2036-40 and the fixation of Arabian sea and bay of Bengal has to expand to all five oceans as the sea lines of communications will be stretched to protect the 4to 5 trillion in exports and imports and Indian Diaspora in all five continents .Time to think big is now as a aspiring UN security member with VETO without hard power will be played roughshod by the western powers and Chinese.

 

[sishir]

Let's us not always go after make in india. Give importance to save india. So where ever we can get the ships to be with our navy before the older one gets decommissioned we must do but with next 15 years in mind as per technology required. Wake up China has a new plan to surround us all around with rougue nations. Giving them all military equipments almost free even after knowing these countries are bankrupt.

 

[sishir]

Why we cannot discuss with usa to give us some of its old aircraft carrier and even submarines at through away prices but will run for a decade. During this decade we and our industry can prepare to be Atma Nirbhar. Modi ji can talk to Uncle Trump. Give him respect on republic day 2026.

 

[Anant]

The vessels built in late 20s and 30s will sail for next 40 years till 2070 . With a growing economy the govt has to increase the defense budget for a growing 5 trillion to 55 trillion economy by 2050. The navy has to have Global reach by 2036-40 and the fixation of Arabian sea and bay of Bengal has to expand to all five oceans as the sea lines of communications will be stretched to protect the 4to 5 trillion in exports and imports and Indian Diaspora in all five continents .Time to think big is now as a aspiring UN security member with VETO without hard power will be played roughshod by the western powers and Chinese.

Sir, our economic growth will be what it is, but we cannot overspend today on the hopes of having a large economy in the future.

Keeping aside the fact that we will almost certainly not reach that 55 trillion USD figure at any point (short of the dollar collapsing, since that essentially involves our GDP increasing by about 1300% as compared to today), just because these ships may be sailing around 2070 does not mean we can build unaffordable ships today.