“Indian Navy Embarks on Bold Quest for Advanced Submarine Fleet”

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has issued a request for information concerning six air-independent propulsion-equipped submarines as part of Project 75I, an initiative expected to surpass $12 billion. However, specialists suggest that this process will take some time, as the acquisition will proceed under the new Strategic Partners policy.

The RFI was sent to six global shipyards, including Rubin Design Bureau of Russia, Naval Group (formerly DCNS) of France, Navantia of Spain, Saab of Sweden, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, and ThyssenKrupp of Germany, requesting insights on AIP-equipped submarine capabilities.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is an unexpected contender, according to a representative from the Indian Ministry of Defence, since Japanese submarines generally come with high costs.

Once responses are received from the international shipyards regarding the RFI, a formal request for proposal will be initiated. After evaluating the RFP responses, the Ministry of Defence will shortlist the participant shipyards, a process that may take at least two years, as noted by the MoD representative.

A strategic partner will be selected from local shipyards, with firms collaborating to compete for the project under the Strategic Partners policy.

“According to the policy document, the selection of international shipyards will be based on the breadth, depth, and scope of technology transfer available in specific areas, the level of indigenous content proposed, and the establishment of an ecosystem of Indian vendors/manufacturers,” stated Jayant Damodar Patil, the head of Larsen & Toubro’s defense and aerospace division.

“The MoD will narrow down three to four foreign shipyards from the six based on the aforementioned criteria,” Patil added.

The Indian Navy is in search of “a dependable, efficient, state-of-the-art, electric heavyweight torpedo; a land attack missile; and potentially even an underwater-to-air missile for targeting enemy helicopters and mines,” according to Anil Jai Singh, a defense analyst and retired Indian Navy commodore.

Among the firms that have expressed interest in the P75I initiative and are expected to reply to the RFI include:

“Japan had proposed its 4,000-ton Soryu-class diesel-electric attack stealth submarine equipped with a new lithium-ion battery propulsion system for the Australian program. According to media reports, the lithium-ion battery propulsion system is significantly pricier than the AIP,” mentions Patil.

“The P75I initiative will likely require a fuel cell-based AIP system,” Patil maintained.

Gurnad Sodhi, the managing director at Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems India, mentioned that the company is “actively preparing to address the RFI within the designated timeframe.”

Regarding technology transfer, Sodhi remarked: “We are open to collaborating with any Indian shipyard that the Indian government designates as the strategic partner.”

Bernard Buisson, the managing director of the Naval Group’s division in India, stated: “We believe that future opportunities to collaborate as a foreign OEM [original equipment manufacturer] with a potential strategic partner for any major naval project will yield seamless cooperation with genuine added value,” particularly in regards to naval craft and submarine production.

“The timeline will be aligned with the planning of the MoD and the Indian Navy.”

The strategic collaborator will be chosen from domestic shipyards, anticipated to take part in the program, which includes state-owned Mazagon Dock Limited and private sector companies like Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited.

“We expect the selection of a strategic partner by 2019,” Patil from Larsen & Toubro expressed.

“The shortlisted Indian firms will need to collaborate with the selected international shipyards and ultimately submit a single bid. Consequently, a competitive bidding process is essential before the final selection,” remarked the MoD representative.

The acquisition process is perceived as lengthy by various officials and analysts.

Given the participation of multiple countries, “delays are likely at every stage, including joint ventures with Indian firms. It will take around seven to eight years following the signing of a contract for the initial P75I to be delivered,” noted Probal Ghosh, a defense analyst and retired Indian Navy captain.

Singh, the retired naval officer, expresses concern that the submarine project may not come to realization due to the recent establishment of the Strategic Partners policy. “That risk (of not materializing) is very much present.”

The latest RFI marks the third of its kind, following releases in 2006 and 2014, neither leading to any conclusive outcomes.

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