Executive Summary :

The year 2024 marked a transformative phase for the Indian Navy, solidifying its global stature as a leading maritime power. With a sharp focus on undersea warfare, India advanced its capabilities in underwater threat detection and countermeasures, safeguarding national interests. Driven by the Ministry of Defence’s vision for Atma Nirbharta (self-reliance), the year witnessed record-breaking defence production, groundbreaking technological strides, and strengthened exports. These achievements not only enhanced India’s maritime and strategic influence but also set a robust foundation for its future defence and security goals.

Indigenous Naval Capabilities: Strengthening Maritime Defence

In 2024, India bolstered its naval power with the commissioning of INS Arighat, the second Arihant-class nuclear submarine, enhancing nuclear deterrence and showcasing indigenous defense expertise. Additionally, the induction of INS Tushil, a Krivak III-class stealth frigate, equipped with advanced missile systems and multi-domain capabilities, strengthened India’s blue-water operational reach.

Major Inductions and Defence Modernisation

• K-4 SLBM Test : The successful 2024 test of the K-4 SLBM from INS Arighat, with a 3,500 km range, bolstered India’s strategic deterrence by covering much of China, paving the way for its induction into SSBNs as a powerful weapon system.
• Project – 77: The Indian government approved Project-77 to build two nuclear-powered attack submarines by 2036-37, enhancing underwater warfare capabilities and making India the only non-P5 nation to operate both SSBNs and SSNs.
• Project-75: The commissioning of INS Vaghsheer, the sixth Scorpene-class submarine under Project-75, marks a significant step in expanding India’s submarine fleet. With plans to order three more, these advanced, AIP-equipped submarines enhance operational range and stealth. Simultaneously, Project-75(I) aims to further boost the fleet with AIP-enabled submarines, increasing indigenous content from 45% to 60%.

Approval for 100-Tonne UUVs: The Indian Navy has received approval to build 100-tonne Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) for ₹2,500 crore, boosting undersea capabilities with a cost-effective solution and emphasizing niche technologies to tackle evolving maritime threats.

Tactical and Strategic Assessment :India’s 2024 naval advancements strengthen its defense strategy, enhancing maritime capabilities, regional stability, and Indian Ocean Region (IOR) presence, with plans to operate 200 ships, including three aircraft carrier groups.

Strategic Objectives focus on:

• Enhancing cooperation with neighboring countries to combat transnational crime and ensure regional stability.
• India’s Blue Water Navy strategy focuses on building a strong naval presence in the IOR to selectively control the Indian Ocean.
• Fostering defense cooperation with Southeast Asian nations, focusing on capacity building, capability enhancement, and collaborative efforts.

India’s Strategic Moves:

• Modernizing its fleet by upgrading existing vessels and acquiring new aircraft carriers, submarines, and surface combatants.
• Strengthening logistics and infrastructure by developing dry docks, shipyards, and logistics hubs.
• Enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness through improved surveillance and monitoring for effective governance.

Threat Analysis :

Geopolitical Tensions: The commissioning of advanced assets like INS Arighaat and INS Tushil could escalate geopolitical tensions, with China and the US viewing India’s enhanced naval strength as a threat, possibly leading to an arms race or increased military presence.

Cybersecurity Risks: As India adopts advanced technologies, its naval infrastructure becomes more vulnerable to cyber-attacks, with adversaries targeting critical systems like communications and missile defense to disrupt operations and gather intelligence.

Resource Allocation: Heavy investment in naval advancements could strain India’s defense budget, diverting resources from vital sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Balancing defense spending with national priorities is crucial for overall security.

Operational Security: Sharing logistics facilities through agreements like RELOS could expose operational vulnerabilities, allowing adversaries to exploit these resources for intelligence on India’s military activities and deployments.

Mitigation Strategies: To mitigate these threats, India must strengthen cybersecurity, improve operational security, and engage in diplomatic dialogue with neighboring countries and major powers. A balanced approach to resource allocation and national security is essential.

Recommendations:

• To enhance India’s naval capabilities, the Navy should focus on expanding its submarine fleet and strengthening anti-submarine warfare with advanced sensors, weapons, and patrol aircraft.
• The Indian Navy should prioritize acquiring a third aircraft carrier and upgrading existing ones with advanced fighters, surveillance systems, and carrier-based UAVs.
• The Indian Navy should prioritize enhancing maritime domain awareness through advanced surveillance systems and UUVs, while strengthening cybersecurity to protect its networks from cyber threats.
• The Indian Navy should focus on strengthening regional cooperation through joint exercises, capacity-building, and enhancing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities.
• The Indian Navy should prioritize enhancing indigenous shipbuilding capabilities by investing in new technologies, supporting shipbuilders, and developing advanced repair and maintenance facilities.

Conclusion

India’s 2024 naval advancements mark a key step toward becoming a major maritime power. Modernization efforts, including new ships, submarines, aircraft, and technologies like unmanned systems and cyber capabilities, have strengthened the Navy’s operational reach. The expansion of infrastructure, such as the Andaman and Nicobar Command, enhances power projection. Despite these strides, challenges remain in addressing capability gaps, logistics, maintenance, and cyber security, while navigating the evolving regional security dynamics, especially with China’s rise. As the Navy continues to grow, addressing these challenges will be crucial for maintaining regional stability and securing maritime interests.