New Delhi: Taking a major step, the government has decided to start a second production line for the manufacture of advanced diesel-electric submarines for the Indian Navy. Under Project 75-I, an international submarine manufacturer interested in the Rs 45000 crore project will have to work as a strategic partnership with India to manufacture these submarines in India itself.
The Ministry of Defense stated that 'this project will give a strong boost to indigenous design and capacity of submarine manufacturing in India, as well as the latest design and technology of submarines. If this project succeeds, India will emerge as an international hub for the design and construction of submarines. The Indian Navy has the option of ordering six more submarines from the consortium in the future.
Indian companies interested in this mega project can respond to today's announcement within two months. The government says, 'Indian companies will be selected based on their financial capability, their expertise in the shipbuilding sector and their ability to integrate systems.' Once Indian companies express their interest in the project, then the government will proceed in the procurement process at the Request for Pricing (RFP) stage, based on which the commercial bids will be scrutinized.
After this, the name of the lowest bidding company will be announced as the winner of this project. After that, the joint venture of the Indian company and its foreign partner will start manufacturing submarines in the country itself. However, it seems that the first submarine to be built under this project will be able to join the Indian Navy for the next 5 years. After the Kargil War, the Cabinet Committee on Security had given a green signal to the 30-year plan to construct submarines through two production lines in India. These will include conventional as well as nuclear submarines.
On the one hand, the Indian Navy is constructing a French-designed Scorpene Class submarine under Project-75 at its Mazagaon docks, while on the other hand much more ambitious Project-75I has been badly delayed. This step of Modi government is the second major step taken under its strategic partnership model. Earlier, the government approved the purchase of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) for the Navy.
The Indian Navy currently uses 14 conventional submarines and is in the process of inducting 5 more Scorpene-class submarines which are under various stages of construction and testing. The Navy uses two nuclear ballistic missile submarines built in India and one in Russia, a nuclear-powered fighter submarine. India's nuclear submarines have bases in Visakhapatnam, while diesel-electric submarines have bases in both Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.
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