Indian Navy to Issue RFP Soon for ₹70,000 Crore Next-Gen Stealth Frigates under Project 17B (P-17B)

In a major step toward bolstering maritime strength, the Indian Navy is preparing to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the construction of seven next-generation stealth frigates under Project 17B (P-17B), with an estimated cost of ₹70,000 crore (approximately $8 billion). This ambitious move is part of a much larger naval expansion and modernisation programme aimed at replacing aging vessels and keeping pace with global maritime powers, particularly the rapidly expanding Chinese Navy.

What is Project 17B?

Project 17B is the advanced phase of the earlier Project 17A and Project 17, which delivered the Shivalik-class and Nilgiri-class frigates—stealthy, multi-role warships with enhanced radar-evading features, advanced sensors, and versatile weapon systems. The upcoming P-17B frigates will be even more advanced, designed to operate as stealth surface combatants capable of engaging threats in all domains—air, surface, and subsurface.

These new frigates will likely be equipped with:

• Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars for superior air and surface tracking,

• Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) to carry Barak 8 or similar surface-to-air missiles,

• BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for anti-ship and land attack roles,

• Advanced sonar suites and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare,

• Integrated combat management systems, stealth shaping, and reduced radar cross-section.

The frigates will be constructed domestically, reinforcing India’s "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) defence manufacturing policy, and are likely to be built by public sector shipyards like Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), who are currently delivering the Nilgiri-class under P-17A.

A Fleet in the Making

According to naval sources, the RFP for these frigates will be issued alongside a project to build two Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPVs), further expanding the Indian Navy’s support and logistical capabilities.

Currently, around 61 warships and submarines are under construction across various Indian shipyards. Additionally, 17 more warships and nine submarines are undergoing approvals, with the Ministry of Defence aiming to ensure all these vessels are domestically built.

Broader Naval Expansion: ₹2.4 Lakh Crore Pipeline

Beyond P-17B, several mega projects are moving forward:

• Project 75-India (P-75I): A ₹70,000 crore initiative to build six modern diesel-electric submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP), offering greater underwater endurance.

• Project 75 (Add-ons): Construction of three additional Scorpene-class submarines at a cost of ₹36,000 crore.

• Next Generation Corvettes (NGC): A ₹36,000 crore project to build eight stealth corvettes for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare.

If all these are approved, the cumulative cost of naval projects will exceed ₹2.4 lakh crore, reflecting India’s strategic push to grow naval power amid increasing threats in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Urgency of Modernisation

Retired Commodore Anil Jai Singh, a naval analyst, emphasized that the Navy's approach is not reactive to immediate threats but focused on long-term capability building. India’s naval strength is currently just over 130 warships and submarines—significantly smaller than the Chinese PLA Navy, which boasts over 355 vessels, the largest in the world.

He also raised concerns about the ageing destroyer fleet, with the Delhi-class destroyers, commissioned in the late 1990s, now over 25 years old. Despite overhauls, these platforms may need replacements within the next decade to maintain combat readiness. However, there is no major destroyer project currently in the pipeline, which could lead to capability gaps unless addressed soon.

Furthermore, while India added six Scorpene-class submarines, the submarine arm continues to operate 12 older submarines, some over three decades old. Despite multiple ongoing submarine projects, obsolescence remains a challenge, particularly in comparison to China’s modern undersea fleet.

The Road to a 175-Ship Navy

The Indian Navy’s long-term goal is to reach a fleet strength of 175 ships by 2035. Achieving this will require not just replacing older platforms but significantly increasing the pace of new inductions. The push for indigenous production is crucial in this regard, not only for strategic self-reliance but also to support India's growing defence industrial base.

As maritime security becomes increasingly central to geopolitical stability in the Indo-Pacific, the Indian Navy's investments in next-generation platforms like the P-17B frigates mark a crucial step in ensuring that India remains a dominant and self-sufficient naval power in the region.