HSL will harness the complementary expertise of the three giant organisations, says a senior official. ‘With robust technical and financial backup, we will be a strong contender for the ₹45,000-crore deal’

Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), along with its two public sector consortium partners, is gearing up to submit its bid for construction of six conventional submarines, for which the Expression of Interest (EoI) notification has been issued by the Indian Navy for potential strategic partners.

This will be followed by another EoI for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Make-In-India Initiative

The Indian strategic partner has to design and construct the submarines in the country under the Make-in-India initiative.

The proposal, taken up under Project-75 (I), is moving to the next level after the re-election of the NDA government at the Centre.

Keeping the Navy’s requirement in mind, which was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Committee, HSL formed the consortium with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) in May to provide a credible domestic alternative.

The Navy is going for the second strategic partner model to achieve self-reliance after the project to acquire 111 Naval Utility Helicopters.

For the OEM to be selected by the Ministry of Defence, transfer of technology to the Indian partner will be a pre-requisite.

A senior official of HSL told The Hindu that with robust technical and financial backup, the consortium formed by them would be a strong contender for the ₹45,000-crore deal.

Informed sources said that apart of HSL, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and Larsen & Toubro would also submit their bids.

Both HSL and Mazagon are public sectors, and L&T constructs nuclear-powered Arihant class submarines at the Ship Building Centre in the city.

“We will harness the complementary expertise of the three giant organisations,” the HSL official said.

HSL, which is strategically located on the East Coast in an area of 117 acres in an agronomic layout with large outfitting quay, hull construction facility, slipways and fully covered building dock, also has a submarine repair facility.

The yard, which was set up on 1941 by Scindia Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, has rich experience in shipbuilding, ship repairs and refit of submarines.

At present, INS Sindhuvir submarine is undergoing a refit at the yard.

HSL recently signed MoU with the Turkish consortium TAIS – formed by five leading shipyards led by Anadolu Shipyard, for designing and manufacturing of five Fleet Support Ships at an estimated cost of ₹16,000 crore.

HSL received a contract for designing and constructing two Diving Support Vessels at a cost of ₹2,050 crore.

The shipyard, which was brought under the Ministry of Defence from Shipping on February 22, 2010, is getting ready to hand over India’s first missile tracking ship built at the yard indigenously to the Navy.