One of the Kalvari Class submarines produced under the previous Project-75

Attempting to counter China's aggressive power build-up in the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy is looking to modernise its fleet of submarines with defence projects that emphasise the need to 'Make in India'

Why It's In The News?

German Defence Minister Oscar Pistorius, who is in the middle of his four-day tour of India, was quoted by the Indian Express as saying that Germany is keen on forming a potential partnership regarding submarine technology with India. This promise of cooperation is in relation to the Indian Navy’s ongoing Project 75(I).

What Is It?

In the midst of its growing competition against China in the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy is looking to modernise elements of its fleet assets, in this case, its ageing fleet of conventional (non-nuclear powered) submarines. Under the original Project-75, India partnered with the Naval Group of France to produce six Kalvari Class diesel-electric attack submarines of Scorpene design in Mumbai.

Five of these submarines have been provided as of 2022. Now, the Navy wants to build on the success of this program with the new Project-75 (I), a Rs 40,000 crore project to produce six conventional submarines in India in partnership with foreign companies.

These companies must work with an Indian partner that will actually make the submarines in India, with both Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and Larsen & Toubro being considered for the role.

The significant difference between Project-75 and Project-75(I) is that India is calling on foreign partners to include full technology transfers as part of this deal, including the all-important air-independent propulsion technology that allows conventional submarines to stay submerged for longer and generally act with more stealth.

The idea behind the technology transfer is to build up India’s own capabilities to produce the military equipment it needs, with the joint partnership giving India what it needs in the future to design and produce its own submarines with the latest technologies without relying on foreign partners.

France’s Naval Group has already pulled out of the bid, as has Russia’s Rosoboronexport and Spain’s Navantia Group. The only two potential foreign partners now left are Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co Ltd.

The overall aim of the Navy’s submarine modernisation program is to have 24 modern submarines in its fleet by 2030, with a mix of conventional and nuclear-powered submarines.

For India’s western partners like Germany, this close defence cooperation project is also aimed at breaking India’s dependency on Russia for its military requirements.