Navy seeks six more diesel submarines after Scorpene

New Delhi, Sept 26 (PTI) India has initiated the
process of acquiring six more submarines on the lines of the
under-construction Scorpenes to augment its underwater warfare
capabilities.

"The Navy has initiated the process of acquisition of
six more diesel-electric submarines and has issued a Request
for Information (R.F.I.) to major manufacturers across the
globe," top Defence Ministry sources told P.T.I. on Friday.

"The Defence Ministry will now await responses from
these companies and will follow it up with global tenders or
Request for Proposals (R.F.P.) next year," they said.

In all, Navy plans to procure 30 new submarines to
have formidable underwater fighting capabilities.

India already has 16 submarines of the Russian Kilo
and German H.D.W. Shishumar Class.

Among the countries from where India is seeking
information are France, Russia and Italy, all with major
submarine manufacturing capabilities.

The new submarines would be procured as a follow-on of
the six Scorpene submarines being built at the Defence Public
Sector Undertaking shipyard, Mazagon Dockyards Limited
(M.D.L.), in Mumbai.

"The additional six submarines will start joining the
Indian Navy fleet after all the first set of six Scorpenes
have joined the naval fleet," the sources said.

The Navy would continue to place orders for new
submarines after the completion of procurement of these new
submarines, which is expected to take at least three to four
years.

The Navy intends to build 30 new submarines under
Project-75 and all of them would be constructed in India. The
future submarines to be built under the project would be added
with latest armament, sensor and other essential hi-tech
equipment, sources said.

Interestingly, the new submarines construction order
may not go to M.D.L. this time, as the Navy would like to
develop another shipyard with submarine-building capabilities
within the country, sources said.

India signed the Rs 16,000-crore contract for six
submarines in October 2005. New Delhi had to upgrade the
M.D.L. infrastructure and facilities for constructing the six
Scorpenes in collaboration with French consortium, D.C.N.S.

The first Scorpene from M.D.L. is expected to join
the Indian Navy by the end of 2012. The remaining five would
join the Navy at the rate of one each per year from 2013. All
the six submarines would added lethal power to the Indian Navy
by year 2018, sources said.