India's shift from older imports to domestic warships

Why did India buy so many older Soviet ships, and why is that pattern changing?

Older ships bridged immediate needs while domestic shipbuilding matured, so reliance on imported second-hand hulls should fall as India builds more of its own fleet.

Older imported ships could satisfy immediate fleet needs while India planned to build replacements at home. Buying and operating those hulls through the rest of their useful lives made sense as a bridge rather than a permanent procurement model. As indigenous construction matures, India gains more control over fleet replacement and depends less on second-hand imports. That shift also removes a longstanding outlet for countries that expected to sell India their retired ships.