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| INS Jalashwa (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI
NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy’s plans to add four landing platform docks (LPDs) underscore its long-term goal to boost lift capabilities throughout the vast Indian Ocean territory.
These vessels, at a cost of more than $3 billion, will join the US-built Jalashwa, acquired in 2008. In addition to the Jalashwa, the Navy has five landing ship tanks.
“The Indian Navy is in dire need of modernizing its amphibious capacity and enhancing its sealift capability,” said Probal Ghosh, senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, based here. “Given its large island assets and the fact that India is emerging as a security provider and guarantor in the Indian Ocean region [which has many island nations], the need of amphibious assets cannot be understated. The addition of four LPDs is hence an instrument in the fulfillment of India’s growing strategic role.”
Defense analyst Anil Jai Singh said the Navy’s lift requirement would be about a brigade (3,000 troops), which should be adequately addressed with the induction of four LPDs. But a follow-on program would need to be initiated soon after to maintain that capability.
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