While Chinese naval modernization efforts are capturing the attention of Western naval officials and analysts as well as journalists and even bloggers, little attention is being given to the Indian Navy’s massive expansion effort. Mohammed Ahmedullah, a leading defense writer, wrote in Military Technology (2/2008):
“With the second biggest Army in the world and a rapidly expanding Navy, India knows that it needs to modernize fast, leapfrog in technology and accumulate military assets rapidly over the next decade if it has to safeguard it growing economic might with military teeth.…”
Within a decade the naval forces of India will include two large aircraft carriers, a large force of missile-armed surface warships, and a significant submarine flotilla, probably including three nuclear-propelled attack submarines. The rationale for the expansion of the Indian fleet is to protect the flow of oil to India’s rapidly growing economy.
However, the Indian subcontinent sits astride the tanker sailing routes from the Middle East to Chin and Japan. And, Indian naval forces could come into play with respect to the continuing turmoil and quest for resources in Africa.
The current Indian Navy expansion program provides for the rehabilitation of the Soviet-built, 44,570-ton carrier Admiral Gorshkov in a Russian shipyard. That project is far behind schedule and over cost; the ship should be fully operational about 2015. India has also begun construction of an “air defense ship” — a 40,000-ton carrier to be completed about 2018. (India now operates the 28,700-ton, ex-British VSTOL carrier Hermes; she was originally launched in 1953 and completed in 1969, and has been extensively rebuilt.)
Now being procured are advanced missile-armed destroyers and frigates. Some are being fitted with the highly-touted Israel Barak-8 air-defense system.
With respect to submarines, the Navy currently operates 14 relatively modern submarines: four German Type 209/1500 (built in Germany and India) and ten Russian-built Kilo/Project 877EM. Some of the latter are being fitted to fire the Russian-developed Klub-S submerged-launch, anti-ship missile. However, there have been some problems encountered with that modification to the submarines.
Six French-built Scorpene torpedo-attack submarines are under construction in at the Mazagon Dockyard in Mumbai. These will replace the last of the Foxtrot/Project 641 submarines operated by India.
Most significant, India will again operate nuclear-propelled submarines in the near future. Three Akula/Project 971 torpedo-attack submarines are on order, being constructed in Russia. These are 33-knot, relatively quiet submarines, capable of operating to 1,970 feet feet, armed with four 21-inch and four 25.5-inch torpedo tubes and carrying 40 tube-launched missiles and torpedoes. (India previously operated a nuclear submarine from 1988 to 1991, when a Soviet Charlie I/Project 670 cruise missile submarine was leased to India. Soviet personnel operated the submarine’s reactor-propulsion plant.)
For the past two decades India has also been working on the development of an indigenous nuclear-propelled submarine, officially labeled the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV). The project has encountered numerous difficulties, but there are reports that the first ATV submarine is now under construction at the Mazagon Dock Yard. The first of several such craft may be completed as early as 2010. She will have a submerged displacement of some 7,000 tons and will carry cruise missiles as well as torpedoes.
The Indian Navy is also procuring advanced aircraft to support fleet operations: These include MiG-29K multi-role aircraft and Ka-31 airborne early warning helicopters for the carriers, and land-based Il-38D maritime patrol aircraft.
Whereas in the past few decades the Indian Navy has relied upon Soviet and — to a lesser degree — British naval technology, Indian leaders are shopping world-wide. Israeli, French, and South African as well as Russian weapons are being sought. And, the former U.S. amphibious ship Trenton (LPD 14) was transferred to India in 2007 and it is likely that six Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules aircraft will be acquired. Obviously, there are other U.S. naval platforms and systems of interest to India.
Thus, the Indian Navy is undergoing a massive expansion. By some criteria the naval expansion is greater than that of the other services. And, unlike the Chinese naval modernization, India’s efforts are taking advantage of essentially all of the world’s naval technologies and are being undertaken with relatively little publicity.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I find it interesting that India could have a better Soviet Navy than the Russians do.
I still wish we could be closer allies with India. They seem to do a good job of keeping muliple ethic groups decent towards each other.
i think india will start to flex more and more its navel muscles. esp with the news of the not so secret chinese sub base on Hainan Island in the south china sea. india is dependent on oil from the mideast to keep its economy going. the last thing they need is the chinese to dominate the indian ocean. i think it would be smart for us, japan, korea and australia to get together and ensure indian and pacific trade routes.
I would be very interested in some credible sources concerning the alleged three Akulas for India. This is a rumour thats going on for more than ten years now and it never went beyond anything more than hearsay. The author can even take credit for increasing the number of phantom boats to three where before this number was supposed to be one or two units. I fail to see any current or foreseeable significance in this issue.
Indian naval expansion has received less attention because India is not in an expansionist political posture. It doesn’t lay claim to Sri Lanka or the Maldives, for example.
Its boundary disputes with China and the conflict in Kashmir are in places where naval power is irrelevant.
China, in contrast, lays claim to Taiwan and is perceived as a threat by our allies Japan and South Korea.
India is also one of the most democratic of the post-Colonial nations in the world, for all the warts that come with a democractic form of government.
Far more troubling than Indian military expansion, is the fact that we are helping making the Pakistani military more capable. Pakistan is a far less reliable ally than India, is sheltering Osama bin Laden, has nuclear weapons, still has a pervasively militarily influenced government, and is just transitioning out of an outright military dictatorship.
Pakistan also has little case for a strong military. India has no designs on it. China’s territorial disputes with Pakistan (if any) are far less serious than those between India and China. And, Afghanistan is in no position to threaten Pakistan. Iran could be a threat to Pakistan but has no recent history of hostilities with it.
Excellent. Our bulwark against the Chinese and Russians is getting stronger. India is as desperate for oil as we are, probably more, and that works beautifully to our advantage. Not to mention they could help us crush the Iranians (who I don’t consider a threat)to try out their new toys.
howly crap ohwilleke!!!!
I agree dant see why we are even trying to be buddy buddy with pakistan, india hates pakistan pakistan hates us evil americans and india loves america. Hell sell them everything but the iowa class BB.
my big problem with india is theres still that damn class system.
OMFG! spell check
This ought to give Beijing something to think about. Even better if we sell India some sensors…
Its the oldest rule in statecraft ‘enemy of my enemy is my friend’.
India’s biggest threats for the forseeable future are:
1.A powerful china out to grab its territoy across its vast border.
2.Terrorism
3.High oil prices
I believe you guys can feel our pain.
i think the two three major things IN needs to do in next ten years is induct three carriers,six akula class nuc subs and air reconnaissance aircratfs
india fought islam for 1000 years and still standing up proud ( even though indias soul suffered big time ) india fought british after islamic invasion for 100 years. after that india become poor and islam started producing like rabits ever since. hindus who fought proudly with wepons were in spirtitual rehabilitation after 1000 years war( thank god for all hindu gods incarnated to fight islam and foriegn invasion) there is a saying when hindu gods wakes up the whole wolrd wakes up. and the caste sistem . it is the worrior caste who fought against islam for 500 years and after 500 years it is worrior caste who god convertred to sikh religion who fought against bloody islam . hindus did not invite islam to india . islam invaded india. AND those kings of islam did not sleep until they have at one thousand innocent civilian brahmin is killed for 1000 years they did this. protugese burned hindu brahmins alive and they killed even 2 weaks old babies. so who ever do not like those gods who fight those terrerist it is there problem . in the end what we fought for 1000 years will win. thank god for america to realise the true war and light up the whole world . true battle is towords the ideology not people. some people will get killed during this battle . but truth is these ideology of killing innocent people will be thrown into arabian ocian
That is a long rant against Islam, which as you pointed out, although uninvited in India, is still 1000 years old. The fact is, like Christianity, Judaism, Parsi-ism (?) etc, Islam came to India first with traders, Much later did it come as an invasion force. And just like the europeans 600 years later, or like other invaders before them, Islamic invaders destroyed existing systems and replaced them with their own.
The caste system is stupid, evil and a leftover of the Aryan invasion of India, where invading Aryans were "Warrior/ Ruling" (Kshatriya) and "Priest/ Scholar" (Brahmmin) castes, mixed ethinicty / associated people were "trading/ crafts" (Vaishya) caste and all non-aryans were the lowest castes (Shudra). So, your much touting of the caste system is pathetic and ignorant.
Relation between India and Russia is becoming more of a business partner than a just buyer-seller.Example-Brahmos missile, Sukhoi-FGFa etc. Even its said the building of AkulaK-152 Nerpa (NATO Akkula-2)was funded by India as it became a mothball in mid-90s for having no funds for carrying on. Now India is buying from USA, Israil and other countries too.
India expansion of its Navy will ensure that it becomes the 3rdmost powerfull Navy in the world after the US and Russia.
In the big scheme of things Pakistan is nothing and not worth discussing, however another comment that Aryans came to India has been now clearly disproven as India already had the Harrapan and Lothal cultures etc which had 20-30 city states in the Northern Western parts of Greater India.
Pakistan is the weakest so why discuss it. It is the terrorist center of the world.