Rs 43K cr tender cleared for 6 more submarines

Mazagon Dock, L&T shortlisted for project, 5 foreign cos in race

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Purchase of air defence guns okayed

The DAC approved the procurement of air defence guns and ammunition at an approximate cost of Rs 6,000 crore from local companies.

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Submarine count short of target

*India at present has 17 submarines.

*It’s way behind its plan announced in 1999 for 24 submarines by 2030

*In contrast, China to maintain nearly 70 submarines in 2020s, says a US report

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 4

In an attempt to kick-start its long-pending submarine procurement plan, the Ministry of Defence on Friday okayed the proposal to invite bids for the Rs 43,000-crore project to make six next-generation stealth conventional submarines in India.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex decision making body of the MoD headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, okayed the move.

Conventional submarines are run on a mix of diesel and electric power. The Indian Navy wants the vessels to have a technology called air independent propulsion (AIP) which adds to the submergence capabilities, allowing the vessel to remain under water for 12-15 days, much more than the 4-5 days endurance of the existing conventional subs.

A foreign manufacturer will tie up with an Indian partner to make these submarines under what is termed as “strategic partnership (SP) model”. This is the first project on which the new ‘SP model” policy is being tried.

The DAC, at its meeting on Friday, okayed the move to issue a request for proposal (RFF), in other words an invitation for bids.

The RPF will be followed by technical evaluation of bids, cost evaluation and negotiations before a contract is signed.

The MoD-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Larsen & Turbo (L&T) are the two Indian companies shortlisted to bid for the project. The latter is a private entity and is engaged in making the hulls of the Arihant Class of Indian nuclear submarines.

Both bids will reflect their tie-up with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) from the five makers shortlisted by the MoD earlier.

The five foreign companies in the race are South Korean company Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Naval Group of France, Navantia of Spain, ThysenKrupp Marine Systems of Germany and the Rosboronexport of Russia.

India at present has 17 submarines, including one nuclear-powered INS Chakra on a 10-year lease from Russia ending March 2022.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defence report ‘Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2020’ talks about a growing threat from China.

“Modernising the PLA Navy (PLAN) submarine force remains a high priority (for China). It is likely to maintain between 65 and 70 submarines through the 2020s, replacing older units with more capable units.”

India submarine action plan announced in 1999 is years behind schedule. It had spoken of having 24 modern submarines by 2030. As of now, just three new Scorpenes (Kalvari class) have been commissioned since then, besides the INS Arihant, a nuclear-powered boat.