Project 75I-class submarine


The Project 75I-class submarine is a follow-on of the Project 75 for the Indian Navy. Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to acquire six diesel-electric submarines, which will also feature advanced air-independent propulsion systems to enable them to stay submerged for longer duration and substantially increase their operational range. All six submarines are expected to be constructed in Indian shipyards.

History

In 1997, Ministry of Defence approved a plan to acquire 24 submarines under Project 75. After the Kargil War in 1999, Cabinet Committee on Security approved a 30-year submarine building plan that called for two parallel production lines, each constructing six submarines. The older Project 75 was brought under the new plan, with the two production lines to be built under Project 75 and Project 75I using transfer of technology from different foreign manufacturers.
In 2008, it was reported that a Request for Information had been issued to Armaris, HDW and Rosoboronexport for six submarines with air-independent propulsion and land-attack capability that were to be built in India. In July 2010, Defence Acquisition Council of Ministry of Defence decided to import two submarines, build three at Mazagon Dock and one at Hindustan Shipyard with a budget of. After the project was approved by Defence Acquisition Council in August 2010, an RFI was issued again in September 2010. However, the Request for Proposal was not approved by Cabinet Committee on Security due to a difference of opinion between the navy and ministry on the involvement of private shipyards in the project. As a result, the approval lapsed and was renewed multiple times till 2013.
In October 2014, the Defence Acquisition Council decided to construct all six submarines in India and approved a budget of. Along with the state-owned Mazagon Dock, Hindustan Shipyard, and Cochin Shipyard, privately owned Larsen & Toubro and Pipavav Shipyard were allowed to bid for the project in collaboration with a foreign shipyard. Kockums, Naval Group, Rosoboronexport and ThyssenKrupp responded to an RFI issued in 2017. In June 2017, it was reported that the contract for construction would be awarded under "Strategic Partnership" policy, which would eliminate state-owned shipyards from contention. After the approval lapsed in February 2018, the Defence Acquisition Council renewed the approval with a budget of in January 2019. In April 2019, an Expression of Interest was issued for six submarines capable of firing land-attack and anti-ship cruise missiles.
On 21 January 2020, the Government of India shortlisted Larsen & Toubro and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders as the two Indian firms. The five foreign manufacturers shortlisted by the government were: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Rubin Design Bureau, Navantia, Naval Group, and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. The two Indian firms thus selected would have to tie up with one of the five foreign firms for the project.