New Delhi – The French shipbuilding major Direction des Constructions Navales or DCNS is eyeing the Indian defence sector for future programmes even as its current collaboration, namely the P-75 to build six Scorpene submarines, is way behind schedule. DCNS has already looked into the request for information on the new P-75I project for six new submarines and is awaiting the request for proposal (RFP) of the same.
While the recent visit by French President Nicolas Sarkozy has not affected any new defence deals, the willingness of DCNS to collaborate with India is a reflection of France’s openness towards India. The P-75 project for submarines also provides for transfer of technology. As for the French President, he has assured the supply of advanced defence technologies in a way that contributes to the modernisation of the Indian defence industry.
As per the revised schedule, the first submarine from the P-75 project is expected to be with the Indian Navy by 2015 and the last by 2018.
According to sources, Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), where the submarines are being made, will now build the submarines in 9 months as opposed to 12 months and the work on the hulls of the first and second submarines has already been completed. The hulls for the third and fourth were being built. The frame to receive the hulls for the fifth and six submarines was being made. The outfitting work is being carried out and the work on the combat system equipment for the first submarine would be completed this year.
As for the Project-75 India or P-75I, it will involve all the six new submarines being equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems to boost their operational capabilities. Besides, they will also incorporate stealth, land-attack capability and other state-of-technology. Three of the six submarines will be constructed at Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) in Mumbai and one at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) in Visakhapatnam, with the help of a foreign collaborator. The other two submarines will either be imported from the foreign vendor directly or constructed at a private shipyard in India. According to sources, each of these six diesel-electric submarines are estimated to cost almost $1.8 billion. France’s DCNS hopes to be leading contender for the new order of submarines.
DCNS is a French naval defence company based in France and is one of Europe’s leading shipbuilders. The DCNS group designs, builds and supports surface combatants, submarines, systems and equipments.
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