- Views: 60
- Replies: 1
The Indian Navy has reportedly raised significant concerns over a submarine proposal from German defence giant ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the critical Project-75I programme.
While TKMS is a world-renowned submarine manufacturer, its offer for India involves an entirely new and unproven design, creating apprehension about potential developmental delays and unforeseen challenges for the strategically vital project.
TKMS has a strong global reputation built on successful and widely operated platforms like the Type 212 and Type 214 conventional submarines, which are in service with several navies, including those of Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Greece.
However, the model proposed for India deviates from these established designs. It is expected to feature a novel angular hull, a design concept more commonly associated with stealth aircraft.
The purpose of these angular lines is to deflect enemy sonar waves, thereby reducing the submarine's acoustic signature and making it significantly harder to detect underwater.
While the promise of enhanced stealth is attractive, Indian naval officials are wary because the proposed design exists only on paper.
Since no prototype has been built, tested, or validated in real-world conditions, the project would first require extensive technical consultations and a lengthy series of rigorous trials to verify the design's performance and reliability.
This complex developmental process is seen as a major risk factor that could lead to significant delays in a programme already running behind schedule.
This concern extends to the proposed delivery timeline.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, which will be responsible for constructing the submarines in India, has reportedly suggested that the first vessel could be delivered within seven years of the contract being signed.
However, sources within the defence establishment view this timeline as overly optimistic. Factoring in the immense work needed to finalise, test, and productionise a brand-new submarine class, a more realistic delivery date for the first submarine is estimated to be around 2034, even if the contract is finalised by late 2026.
The timely execution of Project-75I is of paramount importance to India's national security. The programme aims to induct six advanced conventional submarines equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) for extended underwater endurance.
The Indian Navy's current underwater fleet is facing a decline in numbers as many of its Russian-origin Kilo-class (Sindhughosh-class) and German-designed HDW-class (Shishumar-class) submarines are aging.
A timely replacement is crucial for maintaining a credible deterrent in the Indian Ocean Region, particularly as both China and Pakistan continue to modernise and expand their submarine forces.
