Project 75 India | 07 Jun 2021

Why in News

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the issuance of a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the construction of six conventional submarines under Project-75I (India).

• RFP is a project announcement posted publicly by an organization indicating that bids for contractors to complete the project are sought.

Key Points

• About the Project:
  
  • This project envisages indigenous construction of submarines equipped with the state-of-the-art Air Independent Propulsion system at an estimated cost of Rs. 43,000 crore.
  • Project 75 (I), approved in 2007, is part of the Indian Navy’s 30 year Plan for indigenous submarine construction.
  • It will be the first under the strategic partnership model which was promulgated in 2017 to boost indigenous defence manufacturing.
    
    • The strategic partnership model allows domestic defence manufacturers to join hands with leading foreign defence majors to produce high-end military platforms to reduce import dependence.
    • Acquisitions under the Strategic Partnership model refer to participation of private Indian firms along with foreign OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in ‘Make in India’ in defence.
• Significance:
  
  • One of the Largest ‘Make in India’ Projects:
    
    • It will serve to facilitate faster and more significant absorption of technology and create a tiered industrial ecosystem for submarine construction in India.
  • To Ensure Self-Reliance:
    
    • From a strategic perspective, this will help reduce current dependence on imports and gradually ensure greater self-reliance and dependability of supplies from indigenous sources.
  • To Protect Indo-Pacific:
    
    • This is keeping in mind the rapid increase of nuclear submarine arsenal by People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) (CHINA) and to protect the Indo-Pacific from future domination by the adversary.
• About 30-year Submarine Plan:
  
  • The Cabinet Committee on Security, in June 1999, had approved a 30-year submarine-building plan which included construction of 24 conventional submarines indigenously by 2030.
  • P75I succeeded the P75 under which six diesel-electric attack submarines of the Kalvari class, based on the Scorpene class, were being built at MDL (Mazagon Dock Limited) – the third submarine, INS Karanj, was commissioned in March 2021.
  • Of the total 24 submarines to be built in India, six will be nuclear-powered.
  • India has only one nuclear submarine, INS Arihant, at the moment. The INS Arighat, also a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, is to be commissioned soon.
  • INS Chakra, a nuclear submarine, which is taken on lease from Russia, is believed to be on its way back to the country of origin.

Source: TH