Defence Ministry clears Rs 50,000 crore tender for Indian Navy's six new submarines

Indian Navy's tender for Rs 50,000 Crore will soon be issued that will bring forth six new advanced conventional submarines. The Defence Ministry is expected to clear the proposal for the same at the Defence Acquisition Council meeting on Friday. Government sources have informed that the Defence Acquisition Council meeting participated by dignitaries, cleared the project of the Navy, and soon the tender would be issued to two Indian Strategic Partners. 

Indian Navy's Project P-75

The project has been named P-75 India, is a part of 'Make in India', and has been in the making for a long. The six advanced conventional submarines would be the successor to the Scorpene or Kalvari level submarines which were built at the Mazagaon Docks Limited alongside France as its partner. The Indian Navy presently has the plan to acquire 24 submarines, including six nuclear attack submarines to strengthen its underwater fighting capabilities. Currently, the Navy has fifteen conventional submarines and two nuclear attack submarines. 

The maritime force has put forward the requisition for gearing the submarines up with heavy-duty firepower as it wants the boat to have at least twelve Land Attack Cruise Missiles (LACM) and Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCM). The Navy also added requisition for the submarines to carry and be able to launch 18 heavyweight torpedos in the sea. So far the Scorpenes had heavyweight torpedoes and the Exocet surface to surface missiles as their weapon, but the upcoming set of submarines will have advanced firepower compared to the Scorpenes.

Strategic Partners to P-75

The strategic partners for the project have been identified and cleared to be MDL, Larsen, and Turbo along with five global manufacturers- French Naval Group, German TKMS, South Korean Daewoo, Spanish Navantia, and Russian Rosoborboexport. Two projects are underway with the strategic partnership policy that was expected to develop the indigenous private sector in defence as a major producer but now it is also witnessing participation from the public sector firms. 

(Source- ANI)