First of the six Scorpene submarine was undocked at Mazagon Dock Limited on Monday morning by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. He has asked all the defence Public Sector Undertakings to double the production.
The submarine will be launched in September this followed by formal commissioning or induction into the Indian Navy only in September 2016.
“Between now and September 2016, the submarine will undergo a year and a half of rigorous trials and tests, both in harbour and at sea, while on surface and while dived,†mentioned an MDL official.
On successfully completing each of the tests, on commissioning the vessel will be named as INS Kalvari.
The Scorpene Submarine being made in MDL on transfer of technology from DCNS, France, is designed to operate in all theatres including the Tropics. It can undertake various types of missions that are undertaken by any modern submarine including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, mine laying, intelligence gathering, surveillance, etc.
“Performance of MDL has improved by 22 to 25%, I have asked all defence PSUs to try to double the production in the next three years. I know submarine development is not an easy task,†asked Parrikar.
Skill development activity is also likely to be introduced inside MDL wherein youngsters can get themselves trained for welding, electrical, fitting, etc.
The project, which began about 10 years ago, has over-shot the budget by nearly Rs. 5,000 crore and is expected to cost about Rs. 23,000 crore.
China’s increasing undersea prowess has highlighted how much India is lagging behind with a rundown fleet. India’s navy currently has 13 ageing diesel-electric submarines, only half of which are operational at any given time due to refits.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has ordered an accelerated tendering process to build six conventional diesel-electric submarines at an estimated cost of Rs. 50,000 crore ($8.1 billion), in addition to the Scorpenes French firm DCNS is assembling at the Mumbai port to replace a nearly 30-year-old fleet hit by a run of accidents.
The country’s first indigenously built nuclear submarine, INS Arihant – loaded with nuclear-tipped missiles and headed for sea trials this month – joins the fleet in late 2016. India leased a nuclear-propelled submarine from Russia in 2012.
The government has already turned to industrial group Larsen & Toubro Ltd, which built the hull for the first domestic nuclear submarine, to manufacture two more, according to some reports.
