India to build 6 stealth submarines worth Rs 45,000 crore

Giving an impetus to the Modi government's Make in India campaign, the Indian Navy is set to issue a Request For Proposal to build six stealth submarines worth Rs 45,000 crore. 

The Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave the go-ahead for the project on Friday. The RFP, to be issued to the domestic defence firms identified as the strategic partners, was discussed in the meeting, an official in the government establishment said. 

"The tender process would start rolling soon," the source said.  

On January 21 last year, the DAC selected two domestic shipyard companies, including Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and private sector firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T), as strategic partners for the Project 75-I programme.

Under this project, six new stealth submarines will be constructed in collaboration with global Original Equipment Manufacturers providing a major boost to the indigenous design and construction capability of submarines in India, in addition to bringing in the latest submarine design and technologies as part of the project.

Under Project 75, six Scorpene-Class submarines are already being built in India by the MDL, in a collaboration with a France-based Naval Group. So far, three of them have been commissioned into the Indian Navy. 

As per the Ministry of Defence, "The overall aim would be to progressively build indigenous capabilities in the private sector to design, develop and manufacture complex weapon systems for the future needs of the Armed Forces."

• stealth submarine
• Defence Acquisition Council
• Make in India
• submarine
• Indian Navy