The Union finance ministry has approved a ₹70,000-crore deal to construct next-generation conventional submarines in the country to sharpen the navy’s underwater capabilities.
The deal will be signed under the new Navy chief, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, who will take charge on May 31.
The submarines will be built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and German yard thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tkMS) in Mumbai.
The first submarine will be delivered to the navy 7 years after the contract is signed, with the remaining submarines delivered at the rate of 1 per year.
The advanced submarines will come with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems, significantly increasing a submarine’s underwater endurance and reducing the risk of detection.
