India Moves to Strengthen Naval Power With ₹45,000 Crore Submarine Tender Amid Rising China Threat

Indian Navy submarine patrol symbolizing India’s strategic push to enhance naval power and safeguard the Indian Ocean.

India’s Ministry of Defence has issued a ₹45,000 crore tender for six new submarines, marking a critical step to strengthen the Indian Navy as ageing fleets retire and China expands its presence in the Indian Ocean.

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New Delhi | Defence & Security

The Ministry of Defence has issued an initial tender worth approximately ₹45,000 crore for the acquisition of six new submarines for the Indian Navy, marking a significant step toward enhancing India’s maritime combat capability. This is the first major defence modernisation initiative undertaken within a month of the Modi government’s second term, underlining renewed focus on national security and naval preparedness.

While the project represents progress, it also exposes long-standing delays in India’s submarine acquisition programme. Approval for these submarines was granted as early as 2007, yet the programme remained stalled for more than twelve years due to procedural hurdles, political uncertainty, and indecision over the construction model. Even after finalisation of the contract, experts estimate that it could take over a decade for the submarines to be built and inducted into active service.

Strategic Pressure in the Indian Ocean

India’s renewed urgency comes against the backdrop of increasing Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). With Beijing rapidly expanding its submarine fleet and establishing a presence through ports and bases across the region, New Delhi faces mounting pressure to secure its maritime interests and sea lines of communication.

Following the Kargil conflict, India took a policy decision to strengthen its undersea warfare capabilities and develop indigenous submarine-building infrastructure. This led to the launch of Project-75, under which India signed a ₹23,000 crore agreement with France in 2006 to construct six Scorpene-class submarines at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai. A year later, approval was also granted for an additional six submarines to be built in collaboration with Indian industry.

Current Fleet and Growing Gaps

Under Project-75, two Scorpene-class submarines have been inducted, while the remaining vessels are at different stages of construction. However, this progress falls short of the Navy’s long-term requirement. In 1999, defence planners had assessed that India would need 24 submarines by 2030 to maintain credible deterrence and maritime dominance.

At present, the Navy operates nine Russian-origin submarines and four German Type-209 submarines, most of which are over two decades old and nearing retirement. By the end of the next decade, submarines from both these classes are expected to be phased out. This would leave the Navy with only six Scorpene-class submarines, while the nuclear-powered submarine leased from Russia would also need to be returned.

India’s indigenous nuclear submarine programme provides limited relief. Apart from INS Arihant, only two additional nuclear submarines are projected to join the fleet by 2030. As a result, the Navy may be left with around a dozen operational submarines, far below its assessed requirement.

Regional Competition and Capability Imbalance

The shortfall becomes more concerning when viewed in comparison with regional rivals. China operates approximately 68 submarines, including both nuclear-powered and diesel-electric platforms, while Pakistan maintains around 10 diesel submarines, many of which are undergoing modernisation with Chinese assistance.

With responsibility for surveillance and deterrence stretching from the African coast to Australia, and from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca Strait, India faces the challenge of securing a vast maritime domain with limited undersea assets.

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The Road Ahead

Defence analysts argue that without accelerated submarine acquisitions and faster execution timelines, India risks falling behind in undersea warfare capability at a time when the Indian Ocean is emerging as a major geopolitical flashpoint. The new tender is therefore seen as a necessary — though delayed — step toward restoring balance.

As regional competition intensifies, experts stress that timely decision-making, sustained investment, and indigenous production will be crucial to ensuring that the Indian Navy remains capable of protecting national interests in the decades ahead.

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