P75- I Submarine Tender After Approval Of Strategic Partner Model In Defence Manufacturing: Minister Parrikar

The Request For Proposal for India P75(I) program under which 6 more submarines are to be built with the help of private sector will be under the Strategic Partnership (SP) Model  after approval of the model in defense manufacturing.

India’s minister of defense, Manohar Parrikar, speaking at an International Seminar on Current and Future Challenges in Design and Construction of Underwater Vehicles, organized by FICCI at Federation House, New Delhi said Tuesday that “RFP for the much awaited P75(I) program, under which 6 more submarines are to be built with the help of private sector will be under the Strategic Partnership (SP) Model.”

The chapter on SP is being drafted and would be finalised soon and thereafter cleared by DAC and then referred to cabinet for approval. With the approval of SP, the program P75(I) program will be fast tracked, having lost some time in finalising the model, Parrikar said.

During the deliberations he mentioned that the 24 submarines which are to be acquired as part of the 30 year submarine building plan of India, out of which 6 submarines have been ordered on MDL and the same are being built with the help of ToT from DCNS. Comparing submarine construction programs in other countries, Parrikar further said that India should rethink its submarine building program and expand its fleet beyond the planned 24. He brought out while the underwater platforms built under the aegis of ATVP achieved indigenisation content >70% P75 program has not achieved quantitative indigenisation and is limited to 30%.

He further directed the Navy and FICCI to submit specific recommendations as an outcome of the day long seminar which he would like to take note of for future acquisition plans.