In a major push to Navy’s modernisation plans, the Government has given the go-ahead for Rs1-lakh crore proposals to indigenously construct seven stealth frigates and six nuclear-powered submarines with the frigate project set to cost Rs50,000 crore. This decision by Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aimed at developing the deterrence capabilities of the Navy in strategically important Indian Ocean.
Giving thrust to ‘Make in India’ policy in Defence sector, four stealth frigates will be constructed by Mazagon Docks, Mumbai and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata will build the remaining three. The two dockyards are public sector undertakings. The contract for these frigates is likely to be signed by this month end or in March, officials said here on Thursday.
The Navy is already operating three indigenously made frigates namely INS Shivalik, INS Satpura and INS Sahyadari. The new frigates will have more potent weapon systems besides advanced stealth features to avoid detection by enemy radars.
Similarly, seven nuclear-powered submarines (SSN) will be built by Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam. This centre is already building three Arihant series of nuclear powered submarines with capability of launching nuclear missiles (SSBN). At present, India has one Russian made nuclear submarine Chakra. This submarine was inducted into the Navy for a ten year lease.
Nuclear-powered submarines are the need of the day as they can remain underwater and undetected for months together unlike the diesel submarines which have to surface after some days to replenish supply of oxygen for charging the batteries.
Navy urgently needs submarines to bolster its deterrence capabilities and is operating 15 such ships. Half of this fleet is fast nearing the end of operational life. The Government, two months back, cleared the project for building six conventional submarines powered by diesel. These submarines will be built in India and the total cost of this project is more than Rs50,000 crore and the Defence Ministry will shortly float global tenders for it. A joint team of Navy and Defence Ministry officials, meanwhile, is reviewing the capabilities of the all the private and public dockyards for undertaking this proposed contract.
The 30-year submarine building plan cleared in 1999 envisages 18 conventional vessels and six nuclear powered platforms. The first project was the P-75, under which six Scorpene submarines are now under construction at Mazagon Docks and likely to be inducted in 2016. The cost of this project is more than Rs24,000 crore.