Boost to Submarine Development Plan
Brig Arvind Dhananjayan
India’s Submarine Development Plan (SDP)-2030 is quantitatively focused on development of Diesel-Electric Attack (DEA) submarines (SSKs) and Nuclear Attack Submarines (SSNs). It is complimented with the development and induction of SSBNs (nuclear-powered submarines capable of firing ballistic missiles), which is imperative for nuclear deterrence on a regional and global scale to counterbalance the threat of China’s fast-paced naval modernization.
The Indian Navy currently operates two nuclear-powered attack submarines – INS Arihant and INS Arighat. INS Arihant was commissioned in 2016, and INS Arighat in 2022. The Indian Navy plans to build six SSNs of the Arihant class. The third and fourth submarines in the class, INS Aridhaman and INS Arighot, are under construction. The fifth and sixth submarines are still in the design stage.
The Indian Navy’s future plans for its SSN fleet include the construction of the Scorpene-class SSNs as explained in this article.
Acquisition of DEA Submarines/SSNs
Being largely oriented towards regional operations, the Indian Navy is predominantly focused on efforts towards safeguarding India’s territorial waters and deterring any inimical act of aggression by a potential adversary, either off the Eastern/Western Seaboards and the avenues of ingress into these waters or in the Northern Indian Ocean, which is traversed by favourable Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC). Concomitantly, China and Pakistan would have to set aside substantial naval resources to offset a surface and sub-surface threat from the Indian Navy to its naval patrols and mercantile shipping in these waters. The Indian Navy would also be tasked to effectively blockade Pakistan Navy’s attempts at any maritime misadventure off the peninsula. These tasks make it essential to have capabilities, among others, for maritime deterrence and sea denial. While the former is a fallout of the combined operational capability of the Indian Navy, the latter would largely constitute the responsibility of the submarine arm.
Such an argument, among other financial and temporal considerations, would have influenced the decision to persevere with acquisition of modern SSKs and SSNs as part of the SDP.
Apart from the SSBNs mentioned, the acquisition of SSNs would significantly enhance the reach and stealth quotient of India’s sub-surface fleet, as SSNs have the capability to carry out fleeting attacks on an adversary’s static and sea-based assets, while staying submerged for protracted periods.
Growing Submarine Arm
Following the decision to introduce submarines into the Indian Navy six decades ago, imports and collaborative submarine-building ventures with foreign firms have effectively maintained a credible sub-surface fleet. In the aftermath of the Kargil War, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved a 30-year SDP to enable acquisition of 24 conventional submarines. Thus came into being a two-phase plan, with Project-75 and Project-75 (I) [75 (India)] constituting the initial phase, each envisaging development of six SSKs. The subsequent phase of 12 SSKs was envisaged to be undertaken indigenously. However, in keeping with the rapidly expanding maritime threat from China, the Indian Navy approached the CCS in early 2021, with a proposal to replace six of the balance 12 SSKs with SSNs, under the moniker of Project-75A/76.
Project-75, in collaboration with the French Naval Group (formerly DCNS), has now fructified, with five Kalvari Class (Scorpene) submarines having been commissioned and the sixth undergoing sea-trials.
Project 75A/76
Project 75A/76 envisages the indigenous development of six SSNs over the present and next decade, with 6000-ton displacements and an overall projected cost of Rs. 96,000 crores. These vessels will be designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and manufactured at Vishakhapatnam.
Advanced Technology Vessel
In order to enhance the Indian Navy’s strategic reach, the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme was commissioned, envisaging development of four SSBNs (INS Arihant, commissioned in August 2016 and INS Arighat undergoing sea-trials, with two more larger vessels under development). These submarines would provide practically unlimited range, with intercontinental strike capability, as a component of India’s nuclear triad. These developments were spurred on by the void created due to termination of a brief three-year lease of INS Chakra-I, a Soviet SSN, which ended in 1991; and the subsequent expiry last year of a 10-year lease of INS-Chakra-II, an Akula-II Class SSN from Russia. A further addition to these ranks will come in the form of another Akula Class Russian submarine, INS Chakra-III, slated to be leased in 2025 for 10 years.
Project-75 (I)
Project-75 (I) could not be progressed concurrently as envisaged under the 30-year plan due to various reasons. Hence, the Naval Staff Qualitative Requirements for the project were modified to include procurement of SSKs with state-of-the-art Air-Independent-Propulsion (AIP) systems, enabling them to stay submerged for longer durations and substantially increasing their operational range and lethality.
In October 2014, India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) decided that all six submarines would be constructed in India, and in June 2017, it was reported that the contract for construction would be awarded under the “Strategic Partnership” Model (SPM). This referred to participation of Indian firms along with foreign manufacturers under the ‘Make in India’ paradigm of Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020. The DAC subsequently approved an enhanced budget in January 2019.
Concurrently, an Empowered Project Committee (EPC) was constituted to steer the project till contract conclusion and Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the project was accorded. In January 2020, the EPC shortlisted Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and MDL as the two Indian firms that would collaborate with one of five shortlisted foreign manufacturers for the project. On 20 July 2021, the CCS allowed issuance of Request for Proposal (RFP) under the SPM to both Indian firms for a total amount of ?43,000 Crores, making this the first project under the SPM and India’s largest defence acquisition project!
The SPM envisages the setting up of manufacturing lines in India along with Transfer-of-Technology. Consequently, three of the five shortlisted foreign vendors exited, citing unfavourable contract clauses. Acceptance of the RFP by the balance two foreign firms saw MDL signing a pre-emptive agreement with German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in June 2023, while L&T had signed a Teaming Agreement with Spanish shipbuilding company Navantia on 11 April 2023 – both for the purpose of submitting a techno-commercial bid for the project. As per these pre-emptive agreements, Navantia would, if shortlisted, design and develop these submarines based on its Isaac Peral S-80 Submarine (due to be delivered to the Spanish Navy by end 2023), which boasts the most advanced AIP system in the world today. TKMS is, meanwhile, reported to be offering its Type 214/218 DEA submarines with AIP. Induction of Project-75 (I) submarines is expected to commence by the end of this decade.
Recent Developments
As part of the SDP, the DND, assisted by the DRDO, is reportedly working on the design of an indigenous DEA with AIP, soon envisioned to become the mainstay of India’s future SSK fleet. The DAC, in its meeting on 13 July, discussed the acquisition of three more Kalveri Class (Scorpene) submarines with AIP, as outlined in Project 75 (I), to be built at MDL and validated by France’s Naval Group, likely via a Government-to-Government contract. The Naval Group had earlier set up a 100% owned subsidiary, Naval Group India, with presence in New Delhi and Mumbai, to oversee the ‘Make in India’ commitment of Project-75, with an investment of over Rs 100 crores for establishment of three workshops for maintenance, spares and future refit of the Project-75 submarines. These workshops are also involved in validating the DRDO-developed AIP system for installation on existing submarines and those proposed for acquisition. An MoU between Naval Group and MDL was also reportedly signed, on 6 July 2023, for collaboration on the proposed acquisition of the additional submarines, which would include fitting of indigenous AIP and other onboard systems, resulting in a significantly higher indigenous content than before. Naval Group India would also oversee the fitting of indigenous AIP on existing Project-75 submarines as they commence their refit, beginning with INS Kalvari in 2024. The fitting of the indigenous AIP plug would require certain modifications to the hull of the submarines, including extension in length and subsequent integration, which would also be overseen by the Naval Group.
The revised Indo-French Joint Statement, issued on 14 July at the end of prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France to mark the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, omits specific mention of these submarines but reiterates the joint readiness of both nations to explore development projects for expansion of India’s submarine fleet. This may be construed as a positive indicator for fruition of such acquisition by India.
Presently, design work for the SSNs is underway at the Submarine Design Group (SDG) under the DND, with the preliminary design phase having been completed in early 2020. The SDG, assisted by DRDO, is presently involved in the detailed design phase of the project. Construction of SSNs is expected to commence in 2023-24. with the first submarine expected to enter service in 2032.
Comments
Surveillance over India’s vast 7,500 km coastline, a 2 mn square Exclusive Economic Zone, and island territories off the eastern/ western coasts is a colossal mandate. Add to this the onerous responsibility of being a ‘net security provider’ in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and India’s Navy and Coast Guard are landed with the unenviable charge of protecting India’s waters/seaboards from all forms of economic/military intrusion. Both China and Pakistan have viable navies capable of choking India’s maritime trade and denying operational sea-space for military or mercantile movement. Apropos, the Indian Navy on the cusp of metamorphosing into a genuine blue-water force, needs to be able to project maritime power, control sea-space for furtherance of own operations and deny the same to India’s potential adversaries. It is therefore imperative that India looks at self-reliance and indigenization to consolidate and enhance the effectiveness of its surface and sub-surface arsenal.
With 18 operational submarines at present, the Indian Navy’s Submarine Development Plan constitutes a much-needed fillip, in addition to the existing sub-surface fleet undergoing regular planned refit, refurbishment and modernization, to maintain its submarine arm as a potent and lethal sub-surface force.
