Special Report

21 Different Ships and Submarines in India's Navy

Chris Lange

Published: September 23, 2022 9:04 am

Historically, India has been known as a major naval power in South Asia, with its reach extending past the Persian Gulf to the Horn of Africa and even the South and East China Seas. As one of the most populous countries in the world, India has the naval might to match and then some.

Although India’s naval power is secondary to countries like the United States, Russia, and China, it still has the capacity to beat out practically every other nation on the planet. India’s navy is not its only military’s arm with some strength. India also boasts a fairly impressive air force. (Also see: the most common ships and submarines in China’s navy.)

One aspect that makes India’s navy particularly strong is its aircraft carrier. Generally speaking, aircraft carriers are the crown jewels of navies around the world as their assault capacity, arsenal, and aircraft can control incredibly large areas of land or sea. These ships are also capable of sustained bombardment, while not having to return to port for years at a time. Aircraft carriers are basically floating cities filled to the brim with guns and soldiers.

Outside of India’s Kiev class aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, the navy is backed by a swath of submarines, destroyers and corvettes that make up a majority of the force. The fleet ranges from very young, newly commissioned ships to warships with over 30 years in service.

To identify the 21 classes of vessels that make up the ships and submarines of India’s navy, 24/7 Wall St. referenced military data site World Directory of Modern Military Warships’ information on active ships in India’s navy. The ship and submarine classes are ranked in order of the number of vessels currently in active use by the navy, according to WDMMW. Any ships on order were excluded.

The Indian navy currently counts 102 total units in its active naval inventory. This total includes frontline commissioned vessels but excludes smaller patrol vessels, auxiliary-survey ships, replenishment, and historical ceremonial types. According to the Indian Department of Defense, the navy’s uniformed manpower is about 69,000. (These are the 19 ship and submarine classes in the U.S. naval fleet.)

Here’s a look at all the ships in India’s navy.

Admiral Gorshkov frigate 2022-05 Murmansk (CC0 1.0) by Svetlov Artem

26. Kiev-class
> Type: Aircraft carrier
>Number of vessels: 1 (tied)

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Arihant 1 (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Ajbura

25. Arihant-class
> Type: Submarine
>Number of vessels: 1 (tied)

Front view of a replica of Visakhapatnam-class destroyer (CC BY-SA 4.0) by KCVelaga

24. Visakhapatnam-class
> Type: Destroyer
>Number of vessels: 1 (tied)

INS Godavari (F20) during Malabar 2008 (CC0 1.0) by BezPRUzyn

23. Godavari-class
> Type: Frigate
>Number of vessels: 1 (tied)

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Maldivian coast guard ship Hurawee (801) (formerly Indian Navy Ship Tillanchang T62) serves as a non-compliant vessel during an exercise (CC0 1.0) by BotMultichillT

22. Trinkat-class
> Type: Offshore patrol vessels
>Number of vessels: 1 (tied)

USS Trenton LPD-14 fleetweek2004 (CC0 1.0) by BotMultichillT

21. Austin-class
> Type: Amphibious assault
>Number of vessels: 1 (tied)

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INS Magar (L20) at Anchorage (CC BY-SA 2.5 IN) by Strike Eagle

20. Magar-class
> Type: Amphibious assault
>Number of vessels: 2

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INS Kolkata steams alongside the guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) during Malabar 2020 (cropped) (CC0 1.0) by Airpowerobserver

19. Kolkata-class
> Type: Destroyer
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

INS Mysore D60 India (CC0 1.0) by Common Good

18. Delhi-class
> Type: Destroyer
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

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Rana-081022-N-7730P-008 (CC0 1.0) by BezPRUzyn

17. Rajput-class
> Type: Destroyer
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

120416-N-ZF681-220 (8092630181) (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Hopeful Duck

16. Shivalik-class
> Type: Frigate
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

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INS Brahmaputra Malabar 07 (CC0 1.0) by Chanakyathegreat~commonswiki

15. Brahmaputra-class
> Type: Frigate
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

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INS Ajay and INS Nipat (3959012171) (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Hopeful Duck

14. Abhay-class
> Type: Corvette
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

INS Shardul (CC BY-SA 2.0) by obelix4

13. Shardul-class
> Type: Amphibious assault
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

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StoczniaGdanska2 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Tsca.bot

12. Kumbhir-class
> Type: Amphibious assault
>Number of vessels: 3 (tied)

INS Kalvari Submarine Fin at RK Beach 01 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Adityamadhav83 =

11. Kalvari-class
> Type: Submarine
>Number of vessels: 4 (tied)

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Model of Shishumar-class submarine (CC BY-SA 4.0) by KCVelaga

10. Shishumar-class
> Type: Submarine
>Number of vessels: 4 (tied)

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180615-N-ZL062-0077 The Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate INS Kamorta (F49) and the azuki-class JS Fuyuzuki (DD 118) sails in formation during exercise Malabar 2018. Malabar 2018 is the 22nd (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Naval Gazer

9. Kamorta-class
> Type: Corvette
>Number of vessels: 4 (tied)

The Kora-class corvette INS Kora (P 61) steams behind the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during Malabar 2017 (CC0 1.0) by Naval Gazer

8. Kora-class
> Type: Corvette
>Number of vessels: 4 (tied)

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Yoddhasthal Permanent Exhibition Southern command Indian Army Bhopal (45) (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Swapnil.Karambelkar

Indian Navy Insignia (CC0 1.0) by Swapnil1101

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INS Trikand (F51) Talwar-class Multi-role stealth frigate 4,035 tonnes, Indian Navy (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Russavia

5. Talwar-class
> Type: Frigate
>Number of vessels: 6

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INS Sindhughosh (S55) (CC0 1.0) by Chanakyathegreat~commonswiki

4. Singhughosh-class
> Type: Submarine
>Number of vessels: 8 (tied)

Ship in the Sea (4413075876) (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Hopeful Duck

3. Veer-class
> Type: Corvette
>Number of vessels: 8 (tied)

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INS Sumitra (P59) with a Chetak helicopter during a passex with USS Russell (DDG 59) (CC0 1.0) by Shashpant

2. Saryu-class
> Type: Offshore patrol vessels
>Number of vessels: 10

INS Sumitra (P59) with a Chetak helicopter during a passex with USS Russell (DDG 59) (CC BY-SA 4.0) by IM3847

1. Car Nicobar-class
> Type: Offshore patrol vessels
>Number of vessels: 14