In a significant move to boost its maritime defence, the Indian Navy has received approval from the Ministry of Defence to build large unmanned underwater vessels. This decision is part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening India’s naval capabilities on both its eastern and western seaboards, according to defence officials.

The newly approved unmanned vessels will each weigh approximately 100 tonnes and will come equipped with a range of advanced combat capabilities. These include weapons systems, mine clearance technology, and sophisticated surveillance equipment. Defence sources informed India Today that these vessels are expected to play a crucial role in monitoring and countering the activities of adversarial forces across multiple fronts, providing enhanced situational awareness in critical maritime zones.

One of the primary objectives of the Indian Navy is to deploy these unmanned underwater vehicles in deep-sea areas, far from the country’s coastline. By doing so, the Navy can maintain a strategic watch over key maritime regions, improving its ability to detect and respond to threats. This marks a major expansion of India’s underwater warfare capabilities, giving the Navy greater flexibility and strength in its maritime defence operations.

The development of these large unmanned underwater vessels is part of the Indian Navy’s larger push towards increasing its reliance on unmanned platforms. Along with these underwater vehicles, the Navy is also exploring the deployment of unmanned aerial and surface vessels. These unmanned systems will be used for various roles, including reconnaissance missions and offensive operations against enemy warships and other hostile assets.

The introduction of such advanced unmanned technologies into the Navy's operations reflects the growing focus on unmanned warfare in global defence strategies. As the Indian Navy continues to enhance its capabilities, these unmanned platforms are expected to play a key role in maintaining security and dominance in critical maritime areas.

Image source: PTI