Kumbhir

The Kumbhir class was a group of medium tank landing ships operated by the Indian Navy from the 1970s onward. Lead ship INS Kumbhir and her sisters formed part of India's amphibious lift capacity at a time when the navy needed practical vessels for moving troops, vehicles, and stores around the subcontinent and island territories. The class followed earlier Gharial/Polnocny-derived capability and served for decades.

Kumbhir-class ships were medium amphibious warfare vessels with a bow-loading tank landing ship role, vehicle and troop capacity, light naval gun armament, and space to operate a HAL Chetak helicopter. Their size made them more flexible than small landing craft but less capable than later large LSTs. The design emphasized utility, range, and shallow-water delivery of military cargo.

Operationally, Kumbhir-class ships provided routine amphibious transport, exercise support, disaster-relief logistics, and island sustainment. Their final remaining ships were decommissioned in January 2024 after around four decades of service, showing both the durability of the class and India's continued need for dedicated landing ships.