The Centre has cleared the decks for the Defence Ministry and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) to begin negotiations with German defence major ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the ₹70,000 crore Project 75 (India) submarine programme.
Under this mega deal, six advanced conventional submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems will be built in India with German support. The decision comes after a high-level meeting chaired by top defence and national security officials to review the future roadmap of the Indian Navy’s submarine fleet.
Talks between the Defence Ministry, MDL, and TKMS are expected to begin by the end of this month, with officials hopeful of concluding negotiations within six months. Once final approvals are granted, the deal will mark a significant step towards enhancing India’s indigenous submarine-building capabilities.
The Project 75(I) submarines are expected to stay submerged for up to three weeks, a capability that would substantially boost India’s underwater warfare edge amid China’s rapid naval modernisation.
India is also working on building two nuclear attack submarines with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) playing a key role, alongside the state-run Submarine Building Centre. With nearly 10 submarines set to be phased out in the next decade, timely replacements are critical for maintaining fleet strength.
Defence experts believe the Project 75(I) deal will not only strengthen the Navy’s operational readiness but also accelerate self-reliance in critical defence technologies.
