Government Gives Go Ahead For $5.8 Billion Project 75I To Build Six Conventional Submarines In India

Clearing the deck for the construction of new conventional submarines in India, the Ministry of Defence has given a go ahead for Project 75I.

According to reports, the decision was taken on Friday (4 June) at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Indian Navy will now issue a Request for Proposal to shipbuilders.

State-owned Mazagon Docks Limited and private sector defence major Larsen & Toubro have been selected as Indian strategic partners for the project. Qualified foreign equipment manufacturers include France’s Naval Group, Russia’s Rubin Design Bureau, German’s Thyssenkrupp, Spain’s Navantia and South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering or DSME.

Under Project 75I, at least six diesel-electric submarines, equipped with Air Independent Propulsion or API, are to be built in India.

AIP system gives a submarine the ability to remain submerged underwater for a long time without surfacing. A diesel-electric submarine not equipped with AIP has to snorkel frequently to recharge its batteries which power its propellers.

The process of snorkeling involves travelling just below the water surface with the submarine’s periscope and generator exhaust pipe above the surface. Boats have to rise to periscope depth and extend the snort mast above the water line — every day or two in some cases — so as to ingest air needed for running noisy diesel generators (which require atmospheric air) to charge their batteries.

Snorkeling significantly increases the risk of detection.

An AIP system reduces the need for snorkeling by enabling it to generate electricity for charging its batteries while completely submerged .As a result, it improves a submarine’s ability to remain undetected.

Boats built under Project 75I will also have a high level of indigenous content.