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In a significant move to address the Indian Navy’s looming underwater capability gap, Russia has proposed the transfer of three refurbished Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines to India.
The offer, reportedly valued at under $1 billion, aims to provide an interim solution for the Navy’s depleting fleet while the ambitious Project 75I (P-75I) continues to face procedural delays.
A Strategic Stopgap
The proposal comes shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi in December 2025, during which assurances were given regarding the lease of a nuclear-powered Akula-class attack submarine by 2028.Following this, Moscow has presented a more immediate conventional option: three fully upgraded Kilo-class vessels drawn from the Russian Navy’s surplus reserves.
According to defence sources, these submarines would undergo extensive modernization to extend their service life by 20 years.
The package is described as a cost-effective measure—estimated at less than $300 million per vessel—designed to act as a "breathing apparatus" for the Indian Navy, which faces the prospect of a sharply reduced fleet by the mid-2030s.
Enhancing Lethality
The proposed submarines are not merely older hulls but would be refitted to modern combat standards.Key upgrades reportedly include the integration of the Klub-S missile system (the export variant of the Kalibr), capable of launching from torpedo tubes to strike land and anti-ship targets at ranges between 220 km and 300 km.
Furthermore, the refit package promises advanced features such as low-observable stealth coatings to evade sonar detection, automated periscope systems, and potentially modern lithium-ion batteries for improved endurance.
This offer is a scaled-down version of an earlier proposal from July 2025, which suggested a six-boat deal, now rationalised to three hulls to better suit India’s immediate fiscal and operational requirements.
Addressing the Fleet Crisis
The timing of the proposal is critical. The Indian Navy’s sub-surface fleet is currently grappling with aging platforms.As of late 2025, the conventional fleet comprises 16 vessels: seven Russian-origin Sindhughosh-class (Kilo) submarines, four German HDW Shishumar-class boats, and six French-designed Kalvari-class (Scorpene) submarines.
The backbone of this fleet—the Kilo-class vessels acquired between 1986 and 2000—is suffering from age-related issues. While they remain potent assets, deployed effectively in strategic checkpoints like the Malacca Strait, their operational availability is constrained by maintenance needs.
Three Kilo-class submarines (INS Sindhurakshak, Sindhuvir, and Sindhudhvaj) have already been retired between 2017 and 2022. The new Russian offer is essentially a one-to-one replacement for these retired vessels, ensuring the fleet numbers do not dip further.
Delays in Indigenous Programmes
The urgency for such an interim acquisition stems from the stalled progress of domestic shipbuilding projects.Project 75I, a ₹43,000 crore (£4.3 billion) programme to build six next-generation submarines with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, remains stuck in the evaluation phase.
Despite shortlisting foreign partners like ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (Germany) and Naval Group (France), the techno-commercial processes are expected to drag into 2026.
Similarly, the fully indigenous Project 76 is still in the conceptual stage. With the older HDW and Kilo submarines slated for decommissioning post-2035, and new inductions unlikely to arrive in significant numbers before 2032, the Navy’s goal of operating 24 submarines by 2030 appears unattainable.
Without interim inductions, projections suggest the conventional fleet could shrink to single digits by the end of the decade.
Logistical Synergy
Naval experts highlight the practical advantages of the Russian proposal.Since the Indian Navy already operates the Sindhughosh class, the induction of three additional Kilo hulls would require minimal changes to training, logistics, and infrastructure.
The vessels would likely be based at Visakhapatnam, utilizing existing dockyard facilities at Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
"Bringing in these three boats is not about expansion, but about restoration," a naval source noted. "It allows us to maintain our operational tempo and deterrence capabilities without waiting indefinitely for new construction projects to materialise."
While the deal does not directly advance the 'Make in India' initiative, it offers a pragmatic bridge to sustain India's underwater combat edge until the indigenous production lines stabilise in the 2040s.
