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The long-pending ₹60,000-crore P75(I) submarine programme will be the first big-ticket defence deal to be announced under the ‘Strategic Partnership’ (SP) policy rolled out last month.
Two partnersThe Defence Ministry is likely to issue the expression of interest (EoI) for the project later this week. Under this, Larsen and Toubro and Reliance Defence will be registered as the only two strategic partners under the new policy. L&T and Reliance Defence are the only two shipyards eligible to participate in programme, sources told BusinessLine .
The government will also shortlist the foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the programme based on their plans for transfer of technology and requirements of the Navy. Following this, the request for proposal (RFP) will be issued which will also enlist the shortlisted OEMs, said sources.
The SPs will then select the OEMs out of the shortlisted ones and submit their respective bids accordingly. The lowest bidder will be selected as the SP for submarines, sources added.
The P75(I) or ‘Project 75 India’ is a follow-on programme of the Indian Navy to the already undergoing construction of six Scorpene class diesel-electric submarines that are being built at the Mazagon Dock Ltd through technology transfer from France’s DCNS.
The P75(I) was announced in October 2014. The submarines to be built under this programme will be technologically more enhanced than the ones that are nearing completion under P75.
India has plans to build a fleet of 24 submarines for the navy.
Under P75(I), the submarines will have Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), under which these can stay longer inside water. Besides, it will also have a vertical launch system that will enable these submarines to have multiple Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles for land attack. Additionally, a brand new cruise missile will be fitted as the main anti-ship missile.
Guaranteed ordersThe SP policy was approved by Cabinet on May 24 under which private sector defence companies will get guaranteed orders under each platform, such as submarines, fighter jets, helicopters and armoured vehicles. The private firms will then be allowed to partner with foreign firms which will then be placed defence deals worth billions of dollars.
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