Project-75 (India) submarine acquisition project
The Project 75 (India)-class submarines, or P-75I, for short, are a planned class of diesel-electric submarines, which are to be built for the Indian Navy. The P-75I class is a follow-on of the P-75 class submarines of the Indian Navy. Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to acquire six conventional, diesel-electric attack submarines, which will also feature advanced capabilities - including air-independent propulsion (AIP), ISR, special operations forces (SOF), anti-ship warfare (AShW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), land-attack capabilities and other features.[2][3] All six submarines are expected to be constructed in India, under the Make in India initiative.[3][4]
Submarine procurement initiative of the Indian Navy. | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | |
| Operators | Indian Navy |
| Preceded by | Kalvari class |
| Cost | ₹43,000 crore (US$5.4 billion) |
| Planned | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Attack submarine |
| Propulsion | |
| Notes | Capable of conducting -
|
History
Origins
In 1997, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved a plan to acquire 24 submarines under Project 75.[5] After the Kargil War in 1999, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) - India's top decision-making body on issues related to defense and national security, approved a 30-year submarine building plan, that called for two parallel production lines, each constructing six submarines. The older Project-75 (P-75) was brought under the new plan, with the two production lines to be built under P-75 and P-75I using transfer of technology (ToT) from different foreign manufacturers.[6]
Progress
In 2008, the Indian Navy issued a Request for Information (RFI) to multiple naval conglomerates - Armaris (now Naval Group), HDW and Rosoboronexport for six submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP) and land-attack capability, that were to be built in India.[7][8]
In July 2010, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) - the MoD's top arms acquisition body, decided to import two submarines, build three at Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) and one at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), with a budget of INR ₹50,000 crore (equivalent to ₹950 billion or US$12 billion in 2020).[9] After the project was approved by the DAC in August 2010, an RFI was issued again in September 2010.[10][11] However, the RFP was not approved by the CCS due to conflicting opinions between the Indian Navy and the MoD, over the involvement of privately-owned shipyards in the project. Consequently, the approval lapsed and was renewed multiple times till 2013.[12][13]
In October 2014, the DAC decided to construct all six submarines in India and approved a budget of INR ₹53,000 crore (equivalent to ₹720 billion or US$9.0 billion in 2020).[2] Along with the state-owned MDL, HSL, and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), privately-owned L&T Shipbuilding and Pipavav Shipyard (R-Naval) were allowed to bid for the project in collaboration with a foreign shipyard.[14]
In 2017, the Indian Navy issued another RFI, to Naval Group, Rosoboronexport, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), Saab Kockums, Navantia and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).[15] Out of the aforementioned six - only Naval Group, Rosoboronexport, TKMS and Saab responded, while Navantia and Mitsubishi failed to respond within the deadline.[16][17]
In June 2017, it was reported that the contract for construction would be awarded under a "Strategic Partnership" (SP) policy, which would eliminate state-owned shipyards from contention.[18] After the approval lapsed in February 2018, the DAC renewed the approval with a budget of INR ₹40,000 crore (US$5.0 billion) in January 2019.[19][20]
In April 2019, an Expression of Interest (EOI) was issued for six submarines capable of firing land-attack missiles (LAM) and anti-ship cruise missiles.[21] In June 2019, South Korea's Daewoo Shipping & Marine Engineering (DSME), was allowed to enter the project, after the EOI had expired, in response to a late invitation extended by the MoD, thus making a late entrance into the competition.[22][23] Navantia responded to the EOI in July 2019, affirming the company's re-entrance into the competition (after their absence from the RFI issued in 2017).[24][25] Shortly after, in September 2019, Saab withdrew from the competition, citing concerns about the rules defined in the "Strategic Partnership" policy.[23] Saab's withdrawal left five firms as the only contestants in P-75I - Naval Group, Rosoboronexport, TKMS, Navantia and DSME; the five firms were later officially shortlisted as the finalists of the competition, in 2020.[26]
Shortlisting
On 21 January 2020, the Government of India (GoI) shortlisted two Indian shipyards - Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), as the two Indian finalists in P-75I.[27] Concurrently, the GoI also shortlisted five foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), as finalists in P-75I - ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) of Germany, Rubin Design Bureau of Russia, Navantia of Spain, Naval Group of France, and Daewoo Shipping & Marine Engineering (DSME) of South Korea.[26] The two Indian shipyards respectively, would have to collaborate with the five foreign shortlisted OEM's, for competing in the project.[28]
On 20 July 2021, the MoD formally issued an RFP for the construction of the six designated submarines, worth ₹43,000 crore (US$5.4 billion), under the "Strategic Partnership" model.[29][30] Nevertheless, the deadline of the RFP, which was initially scheduled for November 2021, was postponed to June 2022, and later again, to December 2022.[31]
Contenders
Foreign contenders
The five foreign naval conglomerates shortlisted by the MoD in January 2020, were —
- France :- (withdrawn in April 2022)
- Naval Group: Offered a diesel-electric variant of the Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine.[32] Is also reported to be alternatively offering an enhanced variant of the Scorpène-class submarine.[33]
- Germany :- (withdrawn in August 2021)
- ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems: Offered the Type 214 submarine.[34]
- South Korea :-
- Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering: Offered a 3000 t variant of the KSS-III submarine, designated as the DSME-3000.[35]
- Russia :- (withdrawn in February 2022)
- Rubin Design Bureau: Offered a variant of the Amur-class submarine, designated as the Amur-1650.[36]
- Spain :-
- Navantia: Offered the S-80 Plus submarine.[37]
Local shipyards
The two Indian shipyards shortlisted by the MoD, were —
- India :-
- Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding: Has assisted in the development and construction of the Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, since 2009.[38]
- India :-
- Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited: Currently manufacturing six Scorpène-class attack submarines, under P-75, of which four have been delivered.[39] Also license manufactured two Type 209/1500 attack submarines, between 1984 and 1994.[40]
Developments
Elimination of contenders
In July 2021, MDL issued an RFI to the five foreign contenders, seeking a partner that has a functional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system that has been tested and proved on operational submarine.[41] Unfortunately, three of the five contenders, namely, France, Russia and Spain, did not possess any functional submarine equipped with a sea-proven AIP system, eliminating them from the competition.[41] South Korea and Germany were the only nations to have possessed AIP-tested submarines, making them the only qualified competitors in the program.[42][43]
In August 2021, TKMS withdrew from the program, citing its incapacity to satisfy several technical conditions. The firm highlighted its inability to respond to the tender's short timeline and had disagreed on several technical clauses - specifically on the issues of liability, technology-transfer and proportion of indigenous content.[44][45] The firm's withdrawal from the competition thus left DSME as the only qualified contender, creating a "single-vendor situation" - a condition in which only one contestant is qualified to participate in a bidding process.[41]
In February 2022, Rosoboronexport withdrew from the tender, citing its inability to comply with the tender's requirements; nevertheless, the firm offered a compensatory deal of new Upgraded Kilo-class submarines, along with decommissioned Original Kilo-class submarines, as an interim option to reinforce the Indian Navy's declining submarine fleet.[46]
In April 2022, Naval Group withdrew from the tender, citing an inability to comply with its requirements of providing a sea-proven AIP system.[47][48]
Following the withdrawal of several contenders on account of their respective inabilities to comply with the project's requirements, the MoD postponed the deadline of the tender from November 2021 to June 2022, and later once more, to December 2022.[31][49]
Gallery
The Scorpène-class submarine, designed by Naval Group.
The Type 214 submarine, designed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.
See also
Other References to the Indian Navy
References
- ^ a b c "THE SAGA OF PROJECT 75 (I)".
- ^ a b Sen, Sudhi Ranjan (26 October 2014). "6 Made-in-India Submarines for Navy for 53,000 Crores". NDTV.
- ^ a b Siddiqui, Huma (9 March 2015). "Narendra Modi government shortlists Larsen & Toubro, Pipavav for Rs 60,000 crore submarine contract". The Financial Express.
- ^ "Indian MoD Issues a Request For Proposal For The Construction Of Six P-75(I) Submarines". 20 July 2021.
- ^ Saw, David (2005). "The World Submarine Situation". Armada International. Vol. 29, no. 6. Gurgaon: Media Transasia India Ltd. pp. 52–58. ISSN 0252-9793.
- ^ Singh, Sushant (13 November 2015). "Explained: India's submarine story in deep waters, long way to go". The Indian Express. from the original on 15 February 2018.
- ^ Thapar, Vishal (17 February 2008). . CNN-IBN. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012.
- ^ Pandit, Rajat (20 October 2008). "Navy hunts for hi-tech submarines". The Times of India.
- ^ Pandit, Rajat (11 July 2010). "Biggest military deal: Six subs for Rs 50,000 crore". The Times of India.
- ^ N. C. Bipendra (7 September 2010). "India to Select Shipyard for Next Line of Submarines". Outlook.
- ^ "Procurement of Submarines". Press Information Bureau. 19 December 2011.
- ^ N. C. Bipindra (16 August 2013). "Three years on, Navy awaits Cabinet nod for 6 new subs". The New Indian Express.
- ^ Pandit, Rajat (9 June 2013). "Tangled in red tape, India's submarine fleet sinking". The Times of India.
- ^ Thapar, Vishal (4 April 2015). "5 shipyards earmarked for Rs 53,000 crore sub project". Sunday Guardian.
- ^ "Six in fray for Navy's €8.3-billion advanced submarine project".
- ^ "4 contenders left in fray for India's mega submarine project after Japan, Spain opt out | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.
- ^ "Four foreign firms in contention for submarine project P-75(I)" – via The Economic Times.
- ^ Basu, Nayanima (8 June 2017). "P75(I) submarine to be first deal under 'Strategic Partnership'". The Hindu Business Line.
- ^ Nair-Ghaswalla, Amrita (5 February 2018). "Indigenous submarine project still a non-starter". The Hindu Business Line.
- ^ "Government clears Rs 40,000 crore project to construct six submarines". The Indian Express. Press Trust of India. 31 January 2019.
- ^ "Indian Navy kicks off Rs 50,000 crore lethal submarine project, wants 500 km strike range cruise missiles on them". The Economic Times. Asian News International. 4 April 2019.
- ^ "SAAB out, South Korean Company in for the conventional submarines for the Indian Navy".
- ^ a b "Swedish major SAAB pulls out of P75I race, cites 'unbalance' in strategic partnership policy". 26 September 2019.
- ^ Pubby, Manu. "Indian Navy: Spain wants to be part of Rs 45,000 crore submarine project" – via The Economic Times.
- ^ Pubby, Manu. "Submarine Project: Sweden out, South Korea in for Rs 45,000 crore submarine project" – via The Economic Times.
- ^ a b "India makes initial bid selections for $7 billion submarine project". 22 January 2020.
- ^ "With 2 Indian Shipyards &, 5 Submarine Cos Approved, Crucial Step in Project 75-India - Livefist". 21 January 2020.
- ^ "Defence Ministry shortlists L&T and MDL to build six conventional submarines". The Hindu. 22 January 2020.
- ^ "MoD issues RFP for construction of six P-75(I) AIP submarines for Indian Navy for $6 bn – India Strategic".
- ^ "MoD issues RFP for construction of six P-75(I) submarines for Indian Navy".
- ^ a b . webarchive.org. 20 February 2022. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022.
- ^ "The 4 Submarines Competing For The Indian Navy's P-75I Program". navalnews.com. 14 October 2021.
- ^ "Video: Naval Group Proposal for Indian Navy P-75I Submarine Project". navalnews.com. 4 February 2020.
- ^ "Germany Offers India New Stealth Submarines". thediplomat.com. 6 May 2016.
- ^ "MADEX 2021: DSME Sheds Light on Submarine Offer to India for P-75I". navalnews.com. 16 June 2021.
- ^ "Russia offers Amur class submarines to India". dnaindia.com. 30 November 2010.
- ^ "Navantia Pitching S80 Plus Submarine for India's P-75I during UDS 2020". navalnews.com. 16 March 2020.
- ^ "We played a vital role in Arihant: L&T". business-standard.com. 20 January 2013.
- ^ "P-75 Scorpene® Submarines". india.naval-group.com.
- ^ "Germany to Upgrade Two Indian Attack Submarines". thediplomat.com. 14 July 2016.
- ^ a b c "Germany may not bid for Navy's P75I submarine project, leaves South Korean firm as only vendor". economictimes.indiatimes.com. 19 August 2021.
- ^ "P-75I: MDL's AIP Clause Could Make only 2 OEM's Eligible for Submarine Contract". eletimes.com. 17 July 2021.
- ^ "Indian Navy and the impending issue of AIP import for Project 75 (I) subs". financialexpress.com. 14 July 2021.
- ^ "After SAAB — the Makers of Gripen Fighter Jet — Another Foreign Firm Could Pull Out of India's Submarine Project". eurasiantimes.com. 20 August 2021.
- ^ "Project 75 (I) hits a huge roadblock, one major contender pulls out; Know more". financialexpress.com. 19 August 2021.
- ^ "Russian says it won't bid for Indian Navy's new submarine plan, offers upgraded Kilo class". economictimes.indiatimes.com. 13 February 2022.
- ^ "Day ahead of PM Modi's visit, French defence firm pulls out of India's P-75I submarine project". www.firstpost.com. 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Développé par Naval Group, un nouveau sous-marin d'attaque mis à l'eau en Inde". actu.fr. 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Bid date for mega submarine building project extended again, to Dec end". www.thehindu.com. 16 July 2022.
External links
- Project 75(I), globalsecurity.org
- Expression of Interest For six P 75(i) Submarines for Indian Navy