Key Points

The Indian Navy is also looking to have the capability of operating fixed-wing naval drones from the warships and also use them as command and control centres for carrying out operations on shore from sea for prolonged durations.

"The Defence Ministry is expected to soon take up the Indian Navy proposal, expected to be worth around Rs 80,000 crore, at a high-level meeting. The project would be one of the biggest for building surface warships in the country," defence officials told ANI.

The Indian shipbuilders would be the lead in this contract, which is likely to see the participation of major players, including L&T, Mazagon Dockyards, Cochin Shipyard and Hindustan Shipbuilders Limited.

The Navy has been pushing for expanding its amphibious warfare capability for many years now.

International shipbuilders such as Navantia, Naval Group, and Fincantieri are likely to be the design partners for the warships to be built and fully integrated within the country.

The Indian Navy had issued a request for information for the LPD project in 2021. The Navy wants the warships to be fully capable of protecting against any aerial threats with air defence systems. It will also have offensive capabilities, including long-range anti-ship missiles and drones.

The Navy wants the warships to have the capability of carrying out out-of-area contingency operations with the capability of transporting and deploying large-sized forces in the area of operations. The amphibious warships are also used for human assistance and disaster relief operations.

- ANI