2024-07-12 23:51:53
New Delhi: Project-75i, which was stuck for a long time, has now gained some momentum. Under this project, the Indian Navy is to get 6 new submarines. These submarines will be equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), this system helps the submarine to stay underwater for a longer time. Currently, the Navy does not have any such submarine. Whereas Pakistan has submarines with AIP, although they have become very old. China is building 8 new submarines for Pakistan. Project-75i is to be done under the Strategic Partnership Model. Under this, the Navy had issued RFP to L&T and MDL. L&T is working in collaboration with German company TKMS and MDL in collaboration with Spain’s Navantia Company. Before this project, when Project-75 was started, even then the submarine was built in India but the design was of a foreign company and the work was done only in India. But under Project-75i, the foreign company will transfer technology which will increase the capacity of the indigenous company and henceforth they will be able to design and develop submarines on their own. Either L&T or MDL is to be selected under Project-75i.
How much time will it take now?
Technical evaluation for the submarine has been done and field evaluation has also been done a few days ago. Now staff evaluation is to be done. According to an official, this will be done in 2-3 months. After which the report will go to the Ministry of Defense and then after the approval of the ministry, the Contract Negotiation Committee will look at it. After getting approval from there, approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security will be taken. When the contract is signed with a company, these submarines will start arriving after 3 to 4 years. Currently, the Navy has 16 conventional submarines. In which there are 5 Kalvari class submarines and one more Kalvari class submarine will be available soon. Apart from this, all the submarines that the Navy has are more than 30 years old and the Navy has to replace them.