The Indian Navy is initiating a landmark project with a planned Rs 80,000 crore tender for four advanced amphibious warships, known technically as Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), marking a significant leap in capabilities for maritime operations and coastal defense.
Indian Navy’s Rs 80000 Crore Tender For 4 Warships
Project Overview
This forthcoming project is one of the largest warship construction endeavors in India to date, signaling the Navy’s intent to enhance its amphibious warfare fleet. The LPDs are designed not just for amphibious operations but also as platforms for fixed-wing naval drones, command-and-control centers, and as bases for prolonged shore-based missions. The ships will be outfitted with advanced air defense systems, long-range anti-ship missiles, and offensive drone capabilities, preparing them for a range of maritime security scenarios.
Indian and International Collaboration
The tender is expected to be led by major Indian shipbuilding companies such as Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Mazagon Dockyard, Cochin Shipyard, and Hindustan Shipbuilders Limited, ensuring a strong domestic component as per India’s “Make in India” defense strategy. Global shipbuilders and design firms like Spain’s Navantia, France’s Naval Group, and Italy’s Fincantieri are likely to provide technical and design expertise, promising the integration of world-class naval technology into the indigenous vessels.
Strategic Significance
These new amphibious warships will bolster the Indian Navy’s capability for amphibious landings, troop deployments, and logistics support in remote or contested areas, broadening its reach for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well. They will play a crucial role in India’s ability to conduct “out-of-area contingency operations,” where rapid military deployment outside India’s borders may be required, in addition to supporting security and evacuation missions.
Procurement Roadmap
The Defence Ministry is set to review and clear the proposal soon, at which point the formal tender process will commence. The Indian Navy had issued a request for information (RFI) for these warships as early as 2021, reflecting years of detailed planning and requirements definition for the LPD program.
Industrial Impact
This project is expected to significantly benefit India’s domestic shipbuilding sector, encouraging technology transfers, creating jobs, and strengthening the country’s defense industrial base. With such high-value contracts, the selected Indian yards will gain new capabilities that can be leveraged for further naval production, both for domestic needs and potential exports.
The Rs 80,000 crore amphibious warship tender demonstrates India’s commitment to maritime security, indigenous manufacturing, and international defense collaboration, setting a new benchmark for naval modernization in the region.
