According to news published on December 30, 2019, by Indian newspaper websites, the Indian Navy plans to build 24 submarines, including six nuclear attack submarines. Currently, the Indian Navy has 15 conventional submarines and two nuclear submarines in its naval fleet.
The Indian Navy currently operates the Russian Kilo-Class, the German HDW-Class and the latest French Scorpene-Class conventional submarines and INS chakra (Akula-Class) nuclear submarines from Russia. Only two new conventional submarines had been added in the past 15 years, including the Scorpene-class INS Kalvari and INS Khanderi.
The Indian Navy has a plan to build six new submarines as part of Project 75 India (75I-class submarine), in which six more conventional submarines are to be built by the Navy in cooperation with Indian companies and equipment manufacturers with foreign origins.
The Project 75I-class submarine is a follow-on of the Project 75 Kalvari-class submarines for the Indian Navy. Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to acquire six diesel-electric submarines, which will also feature advanced air-independent propulsion systems to enable them to stay submerged for longer duration and substantially increase their operational range.
The Indian Navy’s Project 75I (P75I) is based on the Scorpene-class submarine designed by the French Company Naval Group that could be built in India by Mazagon Dock in Mumbai, India, using the technology and training provided by Naval Group.
The submarines in the P75I Scorpene-class are powered by conventional diesel-electric propulsion systems. The last two submarines are expected to be equipped with AIP technology, which is developed by DRDO to provide long-range and extended endurance capabilities. The submarines are also installed with batteries.
The P75I Scorpene class submarines will be armed with six torpedo launching tubes, 18 heavy weapons, tube-launched MBDA SM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles and precision-guided weapons. The weapons are carried in weapon launching tubes and can be easily reloaded at sea.
