INS Vagir during its sea trials. It is the 5th Kalvari-class submarine built under Project-75 to be commissioned in the Navy. (Photo: Indian Navy)
New Delhi: The state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) has submitted its bid in response to the defence ministry’s tender for building three additional Kalvari-class submarines for the Indian Navy, sources in the defence establishment told reporters, on Wednesday. The project is estimated to be worth ₹20,000 crore.
The construction of these three submarines, which are in addition to the initial six under Project 75, will be executed jointly with France’s Naval Group as before. These will be built locally in Mumbai.
The MDL has successfully completed the construction of the six Kalvari-class (also referred to as Scorpene class) submarines, as was contracted originally under Project 75. Five out of the six have been commissioned in the Navy. The sixth is expected to be commissioned early next year.
The submarines already constructed under Project-75 are INS Kalvari, commissioned on October 27, 2015; INS Khanderi, commissioned on January 12; INS Karanj, commissioned on January 31, 2018; INS Vela, commissioned on May 6, 2019; and INS Vagir, commissioned on January 23, 2023. The sixth and last submarine under the project, Vagsheer, was launched on April 20, 2022, and is currently undergoing sea trials.
It may be recalled that the defence ministry’s Defence Acquisition Council had approved the additional submarines under Project 75 along with 26 Rafale (Marine) carrier-based fighter jets for the Navy in July this year, as India Sentinels had reported.
The Navy has expressed satisfaction with the performance of the submarines, emphasizing the importance of their early induction. The Navy chief, Admiral R Hari Kumar, has also directed officials to expedite the procedural steps required to initiate the construction of the submarines at the Mumbai shipyard.
The Kalvari-class submarines boast advanced stealth features and are equipped with both long-range guided torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, making them highly formidable platforms.
