Article Posted on : - Apr 27, 2010

The Indian Scorpenes are being built at Mazagon Dock Limited. The last three will have the AIP module.

NEW DELHI, (PTI): The first Scorpene submarine is expected to be delivered to the Indian Navy after mid-2015 instead of 2012 and the delay is likely to impact the force levels of the Service, Government has said.

"There has been a delay due to initial teething problems, absorption of technology, augmentation of MDL infrastructure and procurement of MDL Purchased Material (MPM). The first submarine is now expected to be delivered in second half of 2015," Defence Minister A K Antony said in a written reply to a query in Lok Sabha on Monday.

India had signed a deal worth around Rs 18,000 crore with France in 2004 for six conventional submarines. As per the original schedule, the first submarine was to be delivered by 2012 and thereafter one every year till 2017.

The defence minister said the delay in supply of the underwater vessels is "likely to have an impact on the envisaged force level".

However, he said the gap in submarine capacity has been addressed by modernisation and upgradation of the existing fleet of underwater vessels to increase their combat-worthiness.

Antony said the government has recently accorded approval for revision in the cost of Scorpene project on account of increase in cost of MPM items and related MDL infrastructure.

The submarines are under-construction at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in Mumbai and French company DCNS is working on the project.

Replying to another query, the Minister said Acceptance of Necessity (AON) has been accorded for construction of additional submarines under the Project 75 (India) and the proposal is being progressed at the moment.