The Indian Navy has started trials to modernize the country's existing conventional submarine fleet by issuing a tender worth Rs 60,000 crore aimed at developing highly advanced submarines.

The Indian Navy has started trials involving competing teams, including Larsen and Toubro and Mazagaon Dockyard Limited.

The Rs 60,000 crore contract aims to build six stealth submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, enabling prolonged underwater operations.

Defence officials informed that trials of the Air Independent Propulsion system of the German submarine were carried out in Kiel, Germany, in the last week of March. They added that the German side has partnered with the Defence Ministry-owned MDL. The competition aims to build stealth submarines for India's programme in cooperation with Germany and Spain.

MDL is the prime partner in the tender where the indigenous content in the vessel would be more than 60 percent.

The second phase of the trial would be held in Spain where Spanish firm Navantia and Larsen and Toubro would be showcasing their AIP system at the June end, the officials said. The Spanish firm would be using the Spanish Navy facilities for the Indian team, they added.

Spain's Navantia and Larsen & Toubro entered into a Teaming Agreement (TA) to jointly submit a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy's P75 (India) submarine program.

Moreover, Project-75 (India) seeks to acquire diesel-electric attack submarines equipped with fuel cells and an Air-Independent Propulsion System (AIP) for the Indian Navy.

These submarines would be larger in size and more advanced capabilities compared to existing ones, primarily due to the incorporation of AIP technology.

India aims to construct these submarines under the Make In India initiative, with Indian firms anticipated to secure business worth over Rs 30,000 crore due to the defence project.

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