New Delhi — In a crucial turnaround of events, the Indian private shipbuilders have been sidelined from India’s submarine programme. This is due to the fact that the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), part of the Indian Defence Ministry, has decided to exclude private participation in the construction of submarines.
According to sources, two submarines that were to be built under the Project-75I by private shipbuilders will now be built at international shipyards. This move has been substantiated by the Indian Navy who feels that a constant delay in indigenous submarine production has caused lot of harm to the Indian Navy’s plans.
The initial plan of the Project 75I involved all the six submarines to be built in India. Three submarines were to be made by state-owned Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), one by state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) and Indian private sector shipyards Larsen & Toubro and Pipavav were to compete for building two submarines.
As of now, the Indian Navy has insisted that the first two submarines must be built abroad.
