India Nears ₹70,000-Crore Submarine Deal With Germany After Years Of Delays

India’s long-delayed plan to build six new conventional submarines could soon move forward, with the nearly Rs 70,000-crore Project 75(I) proposal expected to come before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in the coming days, according to an NDTV report.

The programme has been delayed for years because of negotiations over technical requirements, commercial terms and technology transfer.

It involves Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), with the submarines planned to be built mainly in India.

If the CCS approves the proposal, the contract could be signed and work could begin.

Why India needs the submarines?

The Indian Navy is facing a shortage of conventional submarines, making the programme important for its underwater capabilities.

The six submarines are expected to have air-independent propulsion (AIP), which would allow them to stay underwater for longer than conventional diesel-electric submarines without having to surface or use their snorkels as often.

They are also expected to have modern sensors, torpedoes, missiles and electronic warfare systems. These capabilities would support longer patrols, surveillance and sea-denial operations.

The programme comes at a time when Chinese submarine activity in the Indian Ocean has increased.

India has already built six Kalvari-class submarines at MDL with French assistance under Project 75. The first entered service in 2017, while the sixth and final submarine, INS Vagsheer, was commissioned in January 2025.

TKMS expands partnerships in India

While Project 75(I) has been under negotiation, TKMS has also been developing partnerships with Indian companies.

The German company has signed an agreement with Hyderabad-based VEM Technologies to develop, produce, integrate and eventually modernise heavyweight torpedoes.

TKMS subsidiary ATLAS ELEKTRONIK is also part of the arrangement. VEM will handle integration and testing in India. The partnership later developed into a teaming agreement covering technology transfer and a Make-in-India torpedo programme.

TKMS has also partnered Mumbai-based CFF Fluid Control on anti-submarine warfare systems. It is looking at further cooperation with Indian organisations, including the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

India wants to strengthen its ability to build, maintain and upgrade submarines and eventually develop its own design capabilities.

The proposed partnership between MDL and TKMS also builds on a long-standing relationship between India and Germany. India has operated German-designed Type 209/1500 Shishumar-class submarines for decades, with several built at MDL beginning in the 1980s.

References: Firstpost, NDTV