The Indian Navy has issued a request for proposal (RFP) to shortlisted domestic shipyards for the construction of four landing platform docks (LPDs), Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar said on Monday at the curtain-raiser press conference for Swavlamban 2026, the Navy's innovation and indigenisation seminar scheduled for 26–27 October. India Sentinels reported the announcement on 20 October, and India Defence Wire carried the same briefing.

An RFP is the formal stage at which the Ministry of Defence asks shortlisted bidders for technical and commercial offers. Kochhar said the LPD RFP went out last week and did not name the shipyards. He added that an RFP for the next-generation frigate was issued a couple of weeks earlier and responses were awaited.

Each LPD is to displace over 30,000 tonnes — yaani more than 30,000 tonnes of water pushed aside by the hull — which would make it the largest combat ship built in India after the 45,000-tonne aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The ship will be about 220 metres long, carry a crew of 60 officers and 525 sailors, and embark 900 fully equipped Army personnel along with vehicles, tanks and artillery, with specialised landing craft, two heavy-lift helicopters and 12 helicopters for special operations.

LPDs are large amphibious vessels meant to land troops, vehicles and equipment on a hostile or disaster-hit shore. The Navy currently operates a single such ship, INS Jalashwa.

On the wider modernisation drive, Kochhar said 42 platforms are already on order, while another 78 platforms and 120 fast interceptor craft, together worth about ₹2.41 lakh crore — yaani roughly ₹2.41 trillion — have received acceptance of necessity (AoN), the first formal approval in the procurement process, and are at different stages of procurement. He also pointed to work on an indigenous marine diesel engine under the Make category and AoN for a 24–28 megawatt marine gas turbine.

Sources: India Sentinels (20 October 2026) and India Defence Wire, both reporting Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar's Swavlamban 2026 curtain-raiser briefing.