Indian Navy To Get Submarine Boost As MDL And Defence Ministry Near Agreement On Rs 35,000 Crore Kalvari-Class Contract

Mazagaon Dockyard Limited (MDL) is in advanced discussions for a potential Rs 35,000-crore deal regarding additional Kalvari-class (Scorpene) submarines for the Indian Navy.

According to a report from The Economic Times, negotiations involve three additional Kalvari-class submarines, which will be larger than the current ones and equipped with advanced electronics, providing greater strength and longer endurance.

These new submarines will also feature technological advancements in propulsion, enabling them to travel further than their predecessors, which have already demonstrated the ability to reach as far as Australia during operational deployments.

MDL has submitted a detailed techno-commercial bid to the Defence Ministry, promising at least 60 per cent indigenous content in the new submarines.

This substantial local content will involve significant contributions from Indian suppliers and the MSME sector. The order is expected to create approximately 5,000 jobs over the years, with a significant portion of the contract value remaining within the Indian ecosystem.

The high percentage of Indigenous content is anticipated to facilitate significant technology transfer to MDL and its suppliers, paving the way for future submarines of this class to be fully designed, developed, and manufactured indigenously.

MDL is currently constructing the Kalvari-class submarines under Project 75 with French assistance, with the sixth and final submarine likely to be delivered by the end of this year.

This development will be a relief for the navy, given the urgent need for conventional submarines as the largest current fleet of Russian-origin Kilo-class boats is nearing the end of their service life. The navy is also pursuing the construction of six conventional submarines in India under Project 75I.