Navy gets 5th Scorpene-class submarine

What’s in today’s article?

• The P-75 India project – about, first phase, second phase
• News Summary

 

Why in News?

• The fifth submarine of Project 75 to build Kalvari class diesel-electric attack submarines, Yard 11879, was delivered to the Indian Navy.

 

The P-75 India project

• In June 1999, the Cabinet Committee on Security had approved a plan for the Indian Navy to induct indigenously build and induct submarines by 2030.
• It was broken down in two phases — the P-75 and P-75I.

 

About First Phase: P-75

• Under the first phase of P-75, signed in 2005, India and France signed a $3.75 billion contract for building six Kalvari class that is based on Scorpene class submarines.
• The executing company on the Indian side was Mazgaon Docks Ltd, and on the French side, it was DCNS, which is now called Naval Group.
• Under this project, the first submarine was commissioned in December 2017.
• Subsequently, the other five have been built and in April, 2022 INS Vagsheer was launched and would be commissioned by 2023.

 

About Second Phase: P-75I

• The P-75I phase envisages the construction of six conventional submarines with better sensors and weapons and the Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP).
• Defence Acquisition Council cleared the project in 2019 under the strategic partnership (SP) model.
  • The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in 2017 the much-anticipated SP model for the Indian private sector.
    • This was announced to promote Make in India in defence manufacturing
  • SP model seeks to identify a few Indian private companies as Strategic Partners who would initially tie up with a few shortlisted foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to manufacture big-ticket military platforms.

 

News Summary

• The fifth submarine of the Project – 75, Kalvari Class submarines, Yard 11879 was delivered to the Indian Navy.
  • Other submarines of the Kalvari class are INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, and INS Vela and INS Vagsheer.
• The submarine when commissioned will be known as INS Vagir.
• Launched in November, 2020, ‘Vagir’ commenced the sea trials in February, 2022, and has completed all major trials.

Image Caption: Submarines of India

About Kalvari Class

• This class of submarines have Diesel Electric transmission systems and are attack submarines also known as the ‘hunter-killer’ type, which means they are designed to target and sink adversary naval vessels.
• The Kalvari-class submarines have the capability of operating in a wide range of Naval combat including anti-warship and anti-submarine operations, intelligence gathering and surveillance, and naval mine laying.
• These submarines are around 220 feet long and have a height of 40 feet.
• The submarines can reach the highest speeds of 11 knots when surfaced and 20 knots when submerged.

 

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Q1) When is submarine day celebrated in India?

The Submarine Day is celebrated on 8 December every year to mark the formation of Indian Navy's submarine arm with commissioning of it's first submarine, erstwhile INS Kalvari, on 08 December 1967.

 

Q2) What is Project 75?

Project 75 includes the indigenous construction of six submarines based on the Scorpene-class developed by the French defence major, Naval Group (formerly DCNS), and Spanish state-owned entity Navantia. These submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, in collaboration with Naval Group.

 

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Source: Fifth Scorpene-class submarine INS Vagir commissioned into the Indian Navy