Indian Navy aims to expand its fleet to more than 200 ships and submarines by 2035

New Delhi: The Indian Navy aims to expand its fleet to more than 200 ships and submarines by 2035, with the possibility of reaching 230 vessels by 2037, a naval officer told TOI. At present, the Navy operates 140 warships, including 17 diesel-electric submarines (11 of them very old) and two nuclear-powered ballistic submarines (SSBNs). Its aviation wing has over 250 aircraft and helicopters.

Plans call for the fleet to grow to 200 warships and 350 aircraft and helicopters over the next decade, accounting for the retirement of aging vessels.

As the Navy’s operational area stretches from the Arabian Gulf to the Malacca Strait and from the northern Bay of Bengal to the southern Indian Ocean, reaching the east coast of Africa, India is making efforts to build a blue-water navy capable of safeguarding its maritime interests and countering regional threats.

The Ministry of Commerce highlights the strategic importance of India’s seas, noting that 95% of the country’s trade by volume (855 million tons) and 77% by value moves via maritime routes. Protecting these sea lines of communication is critical for national security.

--