India Maritime Atmanirbharta Introduction 

• On January 15, 2024, India achieved a significant milestone in its defense capabilities, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi presiding over the commissioning of three advanced naval platforms: INS Surat (destroyer), INS Nilgiri (frigate), and INS Vagsheer (submarine). 
• This event highlighted India’s growing maritime power and commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), underscoring the country’s strategic push toward reducing dependence on foreign imports while enhancing its domestic defense industry.
• The Indian Navy’s self-reliance efforts have evolved over the years, with a dedicated focus on innovation, indigenization, and strengthening the domestic defense sector. 
• As part of this vision, India aims to create a robust maritime defense infrastructure, capable of defending its borders, contributing to regional security, and asserting its position as a leading global power.

Current Status of Maritime Atmanirbharta in India

• • The Indian Navy currently operates a formidable fleet of around 150 ships and submarines. Alongside these, about 60 large naval vessels, valued at around Rs 1.5 trillion, are under construction. This growth marks a crucial shift towards maritime self-reliance, with a clear emphasis on indigenous manufacturing across multiple domains, including warships, submarines, weapons systems, and aircraft.

• Indigenous Warships and Submarines: India has made significant strides in both warship and submarine production, demonstrating its growing capabilities in self-reliance:

• Warships: Currently, 60 warships and vessels are being built at leading Indian shipyards, including Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). Notable projects include:
  • INS Vikrant: India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, commissioned in 2022.
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    • Project 15B: Project 15B is a program by the Indian Navy to build four guided-missile destroyers, also known as the Visakhapatnam class destroyers under construction at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) . The INS Surat, built under Project 15B by MDL, is a 7,400-tonne guided-missile destroyer designed to deliver a formidable punch. Surat is also the Navy’s first AI-enabled warship to enhance its operational efficiency manifold times. 
    • Project 17A: Project 17A is a series of stealth frigates being built for the Indian Navy.  INS Nilgiri, the first ship of the Project 17A class of stealth frigates was designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau. It showcases advanced design elements like radar-transparent fittings and hull shaping to evade enemy detection. Constructed at MDL, this 6,670-tonne vessel is equipped with cutting-edge weapons and sensors to address threats from enemy submarines, ships, and aircraft. 
• Submarines: India’s progress in indigenous submarine production is equally noteworthy:
  • Arihant-class Submarines: India’s nuclear-powered submarines INS Arihant and INS Arighat are part of the country’s nuclear triad, a critical component of India’s defense strategy.

• Kalvari-class Submarines: These submarines, being built under Project 75, are part of a collaboration with France, further boosting India’s underwater combat capabilities. INS Vagsheer is the final Kalvari-class submarine under Project-75, built in collaboration with French naval defence companies. With advanced stealth capabilities, the 1,600-tonne diesel-electric submarine can operate in all theatres of warfare.

• Indigenous Weapons and Technology: India’s progress extends beyond shipbuilding to the development of critical weapons systems and technologies:

• • • BrahMos Missiles: A joint venture with Russia, BrahMos is one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, enhancing the Navy’s strike capability.
    • Varunastra Torpedo: An indigenously developed heavyweight torpedo, designed for anti-submarine warfare.
    • Advanced DRDO Systems: Indigenous missile systems such as Barak-8, advanced radar, and underwater surveillance systems fortify India’s defense infrastructure.

• Naval Aircraft and UAVs: India is also progressing toward self-reliance in aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs):

• • Naval Tejas: The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for carrier-based operations, representing a leap in indigenous defense aviation.
  • Dornier 228: Multi-role aircraft locally produced for maritime patrol.
  • Rustom UAV: Under development, this UAV enhances India’s surveillance capabilities, offering greater flexibility in maritime operations.

Strategic Vision Behind Maritime Atmanirbharta

• India’s journey towards maritime self-reliance is driven by several strategic frameworks and initiatives designed to build national defense capabilities while positioning the country as a leading global maritime power:
• Make-in-India and Atmanirbhar Bharat: Launched in 2014, the Make-in-India initiative attracted foreign manufacturers, aiming for technology transfer and local job creation. The Atmanirbhar Bharat vision has further expanded this by focusing on indigenizing manufacturing processes, ensuring India has the capability to design and produce its own defense systems.
• Navy’s Indigenization Success: The Indian Navy has designed 19 warship models and built 121 ships and submarines since the 1960s. It has developed advanced systems like propulsion mechanisms, sonar, and electronic warfare suites, many of which have been exported to friendly nations.
• SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region): This initiative emphasizes an open, secure, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, with India acting as a responsible regional power and a first responder in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Collaborations and Innovation Initiatives: The Naval Indigenisation and Innovation Organisation (NIIO), the Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC), and other academic and industrial collaborations are pivotal in driving India’s self-reliance. Programs like IN STEP engage students in working on naval challenges, fostering a culture of innovation.
• Focus on Technology and MSMEs: The Indian Navy’s Science and Technology Roadmap outlines a 15-year plan to focus on areas like artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and hypersonic missiles. Collaborations with MSMEs and start-ups play a critical role in developing cutting-edge technologies and creating an ecosystem of innovation.

The Significance of Maritime Atmanirbharta

• Economic Growth: Developing local defense manufacturing reduces reliance on costly imports, stimulating economic growth. It generates employment, boosts local industries, and contributes to India’s defense manufacturing hubs, which in turn strengthens the nation’s economy. 

• The Make-in-India initiative has successfully attracted investments to build defense infrastructure. For example, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai has constructed warships and submarines for the Indian Navy, such as the INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier.
• India’s defense industry has seen significant growth, with the sector expected to contribute to the $130 billion defense manufacturing market by 2030, creating millions of direct and indirect jobs in sectors such as shipbuilding, electronics, and manufacturing. 

• Maritime Domain Awareness: With India’s vast coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the development of advanced indigenous surveillance systems like Varuna helps monitor and secure the maritime domain more effectively, enhancing national security.

• India’s maritime surveillance systems have enhanced its maritime domain awareness, allowing India to monitor over 70,000 vessels annually. These systems have proved invaluable in combating maritime threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, and trafficking.

• National Security: Indigenous capabilities ensure that India’s naval assets are not dependent on foreign suppliers, thus safeguarding the country’s strategic autonomy in times of conflict or geopolitical tensions. This is especially critical in maintaining a nuclear triad with the Arihant-class submarines.

• Preparedness for Non-Traditional Threats: Indigenous naval capabilities ensure India’s ability to swiftly respond to non-traditional maritime threats, such as piracy, terrorism, and climate change, providing customized solutions to emerging challenges.

• The Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) was established as part of India’s strategy to counter maritime threats like piracy and terrorism. The center monitors regional waters, sharing real-time intelligence with friendly nations to counter these non-traditional threats. 

• Aligning with Atmanirbhar Bharat Vision: Strengthening indigenous manufacturing capabilities in the maritime defense sector aligns directly with India’s broader vision of self-reliance and reduces dependence on imports.
• Global Influence: A self-reliant defense sector enhances India’s soft power, positioning the country as a global power. India has already begun exporting Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) to nations like Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and Maldives, underscoring its growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. These exports not only showcase India’s defense manufacturing prowess but also cement India’s role as a regional maritime power. 

Challenges to Achieving Maritime Atmanirbharta

• Indigenization Hurdles: While India has made remarkable progress in indigenization, there are still significant hurdles. India continues to depend on foreign suppliers for key components such as advanced propulsion systems, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) technology, and some missile systems.

• Similarly, India’s Scorpene-class submarines were built in collaboration with France, highlighting the ongoing reliance on foreign expertise for cutting-edge naval systems.

• Despite India’s advancements, a report from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) indicates that a significant percentage of naval equipment, especially sophisticated weapons and technology, continues to be sourced from abroad. For example, 50-60% of warship components are still imported, hindering full indigenization.

• Technological Gaps: India’s dependence on foreign sources for nuclear propulsion systems primarily stems from collaborations with countries like Russia and France, which have provided key technologies and expertise in the design and development of nuclear-powered submarines. 

•  Under Project 75, which involved the construction of the Kalvari-class submarines (Scorpene), India relied on French designs and technology for advanced propulsion systems, although the submarines are largely built in India. 

• Global Competition: India’s naval capabilities, while growing rapidly, still lag behind the naval powerhouses like the US and China. India ranks seventh globally in terms of major naval units, with 103 major ships. In comparison, the US boasts a fleet of over 300 ships, and China commands a fleet that exceeds 300 ships, with a significant investment in modernizing its naval force.

• China’s naval capabilities have expanded rapidly, with projects like the Type 055 destroyers—advanced, stealth-capable ships—further strengthening China’s presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
• According to the Global Firepower Index 2023, India’s naval strength is significantly smaller than the US and China. While the US spends about $916 billion on defense (2023), and China spends around $330 billion, India’s defense budget for 2023 is just $84 billion, with 17-18% allocated for the Navy.

• Bureaucratic and Budgetary Delays: Delays in defense procurement processes and constrained budgets have led to cost overruns and slow progress in key projects like the Arihant-class nuclear submarines.
• Cybersecurity Risks: With the increasing reliance on digital systems for naval operations, there is a growing risk of cyber-attacks targeting India’s defense infrastructure. Naval platforms like INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant are heavily reliant on digital systems, making them vulnerable to cyber threats. 

•  A report by Forbes India mentions that India has witnessed over 100 cyber-attacks on its defense infrastructure in the past decade, indicating a pressing need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive naval operations and technologies. 

• Global Competition: India faces stiff competition in the global defense market, particularly from countries like the US and China, making it challenging to scale production and capitalize on export opportunities. India’s Kalvari-class submarines and Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) face stiff competition from China’s Type 039 submarines and the US’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which are preferred by many countries due to their advanced technology and global brand recognition. 

• In 2022, India’s defense exports were valued at around $13 billion, with naval equipment accounting for a significant portion, but still lagging behind global players like the US, which exported $175 billion worth of defense products in the same year.

• Infrastructure and Skilled Workforce: The capacity of Indian shipyards, such as Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), remains limited, which causes delays in the construction of complex naval platforms like aircraft carriers and submarines.  

Way Forward for Maritime Atmanirbharta

• To address these challenges and achieve full maritime self-reliance, India must focus on the following strategies:
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate with friendly nations for technology transfer and joint ventures to enhance indigenous capabilities.
• Invest in Infrastructure: Modernize shipbuilding infrastructure and develop a skilled workforce to meet the growing demands of naval construction.
• Develop a Robust Naval Doctrine: Establish a clear naval doctrine that addresses contemporary maritime security threats, including hybrid warfare and gray-zone conflicts.
• Foster Visionary Leadership: Strong leadership at both political and bureaucratic levels is essential for driving the vision of a self-reliant maritime defense sector.
• Engage Youth in STEM: Encourage young talent to participate in STEM fields to contribute to cutting-edge advancements in naval technology.
• Prioritize Defense R&D: Boost investment in indigenous research and development (R&D) for crucial naval technologies.
• Empower Domestic Industries: Strengthen partnerships between public and private sectors and promote defense offsets to empower domestic industries.
• Streamline Procurement: Simplify defense procurement processes to ensure timely acquisition of critical naval assets.