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‘INS Arighaat’ on August 29, will achieve only 1/3rd that number Ltd-South Korea and Navantia-
2024, Defence Minister Rajnath by the end of the decade. Spain. In a blow to the programme,
Singh said, “Arighaat will further in May 2022, the French shipbuilder
strengthen India’s nuclear triad, Naval Group pulled out from the
enhance nuclear deterrence, help The navy’s longstanding require- programme, citing its inability to
in establishing strategic balance ment for six conventional SSKs provide a sea-proven AIP system,
& peace in the region, and play under Project 75 (India) (P75 (I)) as demanded by the navy.
a decisive role in the security of has been underway for quite some
the country.” As per the Indian time now, with no end in sight. The
Ministry of Defence, the techno- original Expression of Interest (EOI) At the present moment, thyssenk-
logical advancements undertaken issued in June 2019, pegged the rupp Marine Systems and Navantia
indigenously on INS Arighaat programme cost at Rs 45 billion and are thought to be the frontrunners
make it significantly more had mandated the setting up of a for the P-75I programme. The
advanced than its predecessor dedicated manufacturing lines for German shipbuilder inked a
INS Arihant. these submarines in India, with the Memorandum of Understanding
Ministry of Defence (MoD), grandly (MoU) with MDL on the intended
announcing that it would make construction of conventional, AIP
The Indian Navy currently oper- India a global hub for submarine submarines in June 2023. MDL has
ates a fleet of 15 conventional design and production. The navy a longstanding partnership with
diesel-electric submarines (SSK), would have also had the option to tkMS (then HDW), which supplied
which are of French, Russian and manufacture six more submarines four HDW Class 209 submarines
German origin. The navy’s under- under the project. The MoD issued to India in the 1980s. The first and
sea fleet comprises five French a Request of Proposal (RFP) for second submarines were built by
Scorpene submarines, six Russian construction of six AIP fitted con- thyssenkrupp Marine System (in
Kilo Class submarines and four ventional SSKs in July 20, 2021. Kiel), while the third and fourth were
German Type 1500 submarines. The RFP was issued to shortlisted built in Mumbai by MDL. However,
In July 2023, the (DAC) approved Strategic Partners (SP) or Indian the Indian requirement means
the construction of three more Applicant Companies for the proj- that tkMS will require to a design
Scorpene submarines by Mazagon ect; Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders a larger submarine than those it
Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Limited (MDL) and Larsen & Toubro currently has on offer and will also
under license from French ship- (L&T). In 2021, the project cost was require the integration of a larger
builder Naval Group. The endemic estimated to be over Rs 40 billion. AIP system.
delays afflicting India’s defence The shortlisted SPs to whom
procurement process can be the RFP was issued were Naval
gauged from the fact, that the navy Group-France, tkMS-Germany, JSC Navantia inked a Teaming
had originally planned to build 30 ROE-Russia, Daewoo Shipbuilding Agreement with the Indian firm L&T
submarines in India by 2030, but and Marine Engineering Co in July 2023. As per the agreement,
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