NEW DELHI: Accelerating India’s modernization roadmap for deep-sea defense, the Union Finance Ministry has given the green light to the ₹70,000 crore Project-75I (P-75I) initiative. State-owned defense manufacturing giant Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) is positioned to helm the domestic production of six highly advanced conventional stealth submarines, a move that significantly upgrades the Indian Navy’s underwater combat readiness.
The multi-billion-dollar acquisition proposal is now scheduled for final review and approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) before formal contracts are inked.
Advanced Fuel-Cell Stealth Technology
The core objective of Project-75I is to equip the naval fleet with unmatched endurance and survivability in contested waters. To achieve this, MDL is collaborating with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to integrate high-end foreign tech with local production lines:
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Extended Submerged Endurance: The submarines will utilize cutting-edge Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems. This allows the conventional vessels to remain underwater for weeks at a time without needing to surface for battery recharging, drastically reducing their radar and acoustic signature.
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Multi-Mission Lethality: Designed for long-range deployment, these stealth units will feature advanced sensor suites and heavy firepower capable of executing anti-ship, land-attack, and anti-submarine operations.
Driving Local Defense Manufacturing
Operating under the strategic partnership framework, the project guarantees a massive transfer of technology to India’s domestic naval engineers.
The manufacturing blueprint outlines an ascending scale of localization, designed to enrich the local defense ecosystem:
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The initial submarine will launch with an estimated 45% indigenous content.
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Through iterative technological absorption, the sixth and final vessel aims to feature over 60% domestic components.
This steady upward shift in localized assembly will insulate the Indian Navy from future global supply chain disruptions while directly feeding capital into domestic tier-1 and tier-2 defense suppliers.
Strengthening the Indian Ocean Foothops
The official clearance of Project-75I comes at a critical geopolitical juncture, as maritime surveillance and security demands scale up across vital trade routes and sea lanes. By deploying a robust, AIP-powered submarine force, India secures a formidable subsurface deterrent. Simultaneously, the execution of this multi-decade project will act as a major industrial driver, creating thousands of high-tech engineering jobs and establishing a sophisticated engineering hub for the nation’s next generation of naval defense platforms.
