NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has announced that the Indian Navy will induct or commission 18 warships during 2026, describing it as the largest single-year force accretion in the history of the service.
Singh made the announcement on September 29 while addressing the second edition of the Navy's biannual Commanders' Conference at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi. Calling 2026 a "historic year" for the Navy, he said the planned additions reflected the growing maturity of India's domestic naval shipbuilding ecosystem.
Indigenous content and exports
The minister highlighted the Navy's push towards self-reliance, noting that warships commissioned recently contain more than 75 per cent indigenous content and that the country's warship production ecosystem is now meeting global benchmarks. He said the focus should now extend beyond meeting India's own requirements to exporting warships to friendly foreign nations.
The three-day Commanders' Conference, running from September 29 to October 1, is reviewing the Navy's operational preparedness, maritime security and future capability development.
Energy security and the Gulf
Singh also praised the Navy's role in safeguarding Indian-flagged merchant vessels — particularly liquefied petroleum gas tankers — transiting the Strait of Hormuz under what the Navy calls Operation Urja Suraksha. He described the safe passage of these ships as an outstanding achievement.
The minister noted that India imports roughly 85 to 90 per cent of its crude oil and about half of its natural gas through maritime routes, making the security of sea lanes a matter of economic and energy policy as much as of defence. He urged commanders to elevate monitoring and response mechanisms to handle congestion, deception and grey-zone activity in the maritime domain.
Sources: 12 Warships In 2025, 18 In 2026: How Indian Navy's Fleet Build-Up Grew Over The Years — News18; Navy must sharpen capabilities to deal with challenges: Rajnath — Hindustan Times
Singh made the announcement on September 29 while addressing the second edition of the Navy's biannual Commanders' Conference at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi. Calling 2026 a "historic year" for the Navy, he said the planned additions reflected the growing maturity of India's domestic naval shipbuilding ecosystem.
Indigenous content and exports
The minister highlighted the Navy's push towards self-reliance, noting that warships commissioned recently contain more than 75 per cent indigenous content and that the country's warship production ecosystem is now meeting global benchmarks. He said the focus should now extend beyond meeting India's own requirements to exporting warships to friendly foreign nations.
The three-day Commanders' Conference, running from September 29 to October 1, is reviewing the Navy's operational preparedness, maritime security and future capability development.
Energy security and the Gulf
Singh also praised the Navy's role in safeguarding Indian-flagged merchant vessels — particularly liquefied petroleum gas tankers — transiting the Strait of Hormuz under what the Navy calls Operation Urja Suraksha. He described the safe passage of these ships as an outstanding achievement.
The minister noted that India imports roughly 85 to 90 per cent of its crude oil and about half of its natural gas through maritime routes, making the security of sea lanes a matter of economic and energy policy as much as of defence. He urged commanders to elevate monitoring and response mechanisms to handle congestion, deception and grey-zone activity in the maritime domain.
Sources: 12 Warships In 2025, 18 In 2026: How Indian Navy's Fleet Build-Up Grew Over The Years — News18; Navy must sharpen capabilities to deal with challenges: Rajnath — Hindustan Times
