Indian Navy To Order Three Additional Scorpene Submarines

India will order an additional three Scorpene submarines to the exisiting order of six under Project 75.

Indian Naval Chief Admiral R K Dhowan addressing a press conference Thursday said, “The Navy, which has a severe shortage of undersea platforms, would order additional Scorpene submarines after Mazgaon Docks (MDL) finishes building the six on order under Project 75.”

“We are certainly looking at the aspect as Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has directed to build additional Scorpene submarines in the country,” the Navy Chief said in response to a question at the annual press conference ahead of the Navy Day.

The Defence Minister had recently hinted that more Scorpenes would be ordered and the production line at the MDL will not be shut down. “We will not let the MDL lose the expertise it has gained to licence-build six Scorpene submarines,” he said.

The Indian Defense Acquisition Council approved the procurement of six submarines from local shipyards worth INR 5000 crore (US$8.3 billion) in October last year.