The Modi Government will build six more submarines. But the 20-year saga of Project 75 is a telling aspect
As India marks the 20th anniversary of the action in Kargil, we are coming close to a decision taken in the aftermath of that war, the final phase of the Project 75 submarine acquisition. The Cabinet recently announced a tender for expressions of interest from Indian ship-builders for the Rs 45,000 crore project to build six submarines under the Project 75-I class. India currently has 15 submarines in service, several of whom are old Russian Kilo-class, over three decades old, and called the Sindhughosh-class in Indian Navy.
India recently inducted Kalvari, the lead boat of the Project 75, over two decades after the initial requirements were drawn up, while three are undergoing sea trials. The proposed Project 75-I submarines will be even more advanced with the capability to launch land and ship attack cruise missiles but those ships are over a decade away from even entering the sea. These, in addition to the Arhant-class of nuclear submarines, of which we will end up with four for the time being, will put India’s submarine fleet size by 2030 at around 20-25 boats. Just for context, China developed and built its Type 39 and Type 39A submarines in the same period of time, building over 30 of those boats. And these are just China’s conventional diesel-powered submarine force. It has six new nuclear-powered attack submarines, along with three old ones. Its new Type-94 J in-class of ballistic missile submarine is a clear and present danger to India. The Cabinet’s decision to go ahead with the Project 75-I is commendable but that does not discount from the fact that India is losing the submarine-building race to China by a country mile. China is out-producing India by massive margins even when it comes to fleet strength and the Indian Navy’s obsession with aircraft carriers has led to poor decision-making when it comes to building a large number of ships to counter China’s Indian Ocean strategy. China’s ship-building abilities are so far ahead now that it is easily able to export submarines and ships to countries like Pakistan. India needs to up its defence acquisition game just to remain in the same competitive atmosphere as China and this will need us to become far more capable of making our own defensive equipment as well as working with friendly nations from across the world. But crucially, it means we get serious about our defence. For years, we have sat back and pondered, straitjacketed by the fear of scams and auditors, and it is ironic that this assertive India that we are sold by politicians has just a creaking military force. This decision by the Government should be the first of many and unshackled from the wild allegations thrown about by Rahul Gandhi during the Rafale purchase. Narendra Modi has to deliver.
