Future of the Indian Navy
The Indian Navy has been focusing on developing indigenous platforms, systems, sensors and weapons as part of the nation's modernisation and expansion of its maritime forces. As of 2020 the Indian Navy has 43 vessels of various types under construction, including an aircraft carrier; destroyers; frigates; corvettes; and conventional-powered and nuclear-powered submarines and plans to build a strong navy of 200 vessels and 500 aircraft by 2050. In 2013 a senior naval official outlined the Indian Navy's intention to build a 200 ship navy over a 10-year period. According to  Chief of Naval Staff's statement in December 2020, India has transformed from a buyer's navy to a builder's navy. All 41 ships under construction are being produced in Indian shipyards, both publicly and privately owned. However some projects have suffered from long delays and cost overruns. The increasing interest of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy in the Indian Ocean region has led the Indian Navy to invest more in anti-submarine ships, such as the "Kamorta"-class corvette, long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft such as Boeing P-8 Poseidon and ships such as the "Saryu"-class patrol vessel  and unmanned aerial vehicles such as the IAI Heron-1. However the lack of a strong submarine fleet has diminished its capabilities to some extent. Post-Chinese intrusions into Ladakh in 2020, it has been announced that the Indian Navy plans to upgrade the military facilities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the eastern seaboard as well as Lakshadweep on the western seaboard, with the aim of having a network of island airbases in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal which provides an infrastructure which will guarantee freedom of navigation and overflight to all Indian territories. Submarines . This indicates that a Request For Information (RFI) has currently been issued for this project. The issue of an RFI is not a commitment for procurement. Ships. This indicates that the project a Request For Information (RFI) has currently been issued for this project. The issue of RFI is not a commitment for procurement.