India To Acquire 100 Heavyweight Torpedoes

Defense  Ministry of India has approved the acquisition of more than 100 heavyweight torpedoes which will be equipped on six Scorpene-class submarines being built at Mazagon Dockyards in Mumbai, located at the western coast of the country.

"The proposal for acquiring heavyweight torpedoes for the submarines for the Indian Navy was cleared at a high-level meeting of the Defence Ministry and a tender is expected to be floated soon by the government in this regard," defence sources told ANI.

Immediate requirement of the Navy for heavyweight torpedoes will be met by the acquisition to be made through the foreign vendors while the long-term bulk requirement will be fulfilled through the Made in India route.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is looking forward to heavyweight torpedo as the next version of its light torpedoes for submarines and surface ships. Global manufacturers from France, Sweden, Russia and Germany are expected to respond to the tender requirements.

Nuclear fleet of Arihant class boats also require torpedoes. 

The French-origin Scorpene submarines are being built in India have been named as the Kalvari class. The first boat of the class called INS Kalvari has already been inducted into the Navy and is carrying out operational duties. 

The Indian Navy will receive its second Scorpene-class submarine, INS Khanderi, by March or April 2019, Commodore Rakesh Anand, Chairman and MD of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) was quoted by Jane's as saying at ongoing Aero India 2019 airshow.

"The third submarine Karanj is also likely to be delivered by end of year 2019. Both Khanderi and Karanj are currently undergoing sea acceptance trials," he added.

The contract for the licensed production of six Scorpene-class submarines was signed on 6 October 2005 under Project 75.