New Delhi: After the Scorpene submarines, India and France are “exploring more ambitious” projects to develop the Indian submarine fleet that is currently falling behind its projected 2030 strength.
This could entail France helping India with its plan to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), ThePrint has learnt.
The SSNs are nuclear-powered, but do not carry nuclear weapons, unlike the nuclear-powered ballistic-missile-carrying vessels called the SSBNs.
This development has been in closed talks for over a year and broader details are yet to be finalised, but the discussions are on, sources in the defence establishment told ThePrint.
Interestingly, the Horizon 2047 document, released after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron Friday, gave a hint about the possible plans.
The document which details the roadmap for bilateral strategic partnership over the next 25 years says “India and France are ready to explore more ambitious projects to develop the Indian submarine fleet and its performance”.
In an interaction on board the French nuclear power aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle in Goa in January this year, ThePrint had asked the French Ambassador to New Delhi, Emmanuel Lenain, about buzz over India and France possibly coming together on SSNs.
Asked if France will help India in developing nuclear-powered and nuclear-attack submarines just like the Russians have, he underlined that the country has a longstanding submarine cooperation with India.
“The Naval Group has been working with the Mazagaon Dock Limited and building in India the Scorpene submarines while fully transferring the technology,” he said. “We want to continue with our partnership. Whether India wants to go in for P75 I [submarines programme] or more Scorpenes or even next generation, it is up to India to make up its mind.”
Lenain had pointed out that with Australia, the French had offered a new conventional diesel and electric submarine based on its Barracuda class of nuclear-powered submarines. “It can be done,” he had said.
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India’s 30-year plan
France operates the Barracuda submarines manufactured by Naval Group which is making the Scorpene submarines in India in partnership with Mazagon Dockyard Limited.
Barracuda submarine, produced by the Naval Group, has bagged a contract to deliver three more Scorpene class diesel-electric submarines at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL), Mumbai, for the Indian Navy.
At present, India has a 30-year plan, that ends in 2030, to inducted 24 submarines including 18 diesel-electric and six SSNs.
Of the 18, Navy has managed to procure only 6 which are the Scorpene class submarines.
India also operates at least one SSBN, INS Arihant, with another of the same class almost operational.
Russia has been helping India with this project and India has been leasing a nuclear submarine called INS Chakra to help train its own crew on operating a nuclear submarine.
The original INS Chakra initially came to India on a three-year lease that began in 1988. Chakra II was inducted in 2012 and went back in 2021.
However, India and Russia had, in 2019, signed a $3 billion deal for the lease of a third SSN — Chakra III — which is likely to be in Indian waters by 2025 at the earliest.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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