Article Posted on : - Jul 11, 2023

The MoD had issued an RFP in July 2021 for the acquisition of six AIP-fitted conventional submarines under Project 75I for Indian Navy under the “Strategic Partnership” model.

MUMBAI/ NEW DELHI (BNS): India’s Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has teamed up with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to submit ‘techno-commercial’ bid for Indian Navy’s P75I submarine programme.

The two entities signed a Teaming Agreement (TA) in New Delhi on Monday in the presence of Mr S N Subrahmanyan, CEO & MD of L&T, and Mr Augustin Alvarez Blanco, Naval Construction Vice President, and Member of the Board – Navantia.

Also present at the occasion were José María Ridao Domínguez, Ambassador of Spain in India and Captain (Navy) Fernando Alvarez, Spanish Defence Attaché, along with senior officials from both L&T Defence and Navantia, an official statement released by L&T said.
 
The P75I programme requires the Indian bidder to tie up with a foreign collaborator (FC) and execute the programme for delivery of six conventional submarines equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), while achieving “targetted Indigenous Content”, the statement said.

The MoD had issued an RFP in July 2021 for the acquisition of six AIP-fitted conventional submarines under the Project 75(India) for the Navy under the “Strategic Partnership” model.

L&T and Navantia signed an MoU for the programme on 11 April 2023 at Madrid, which has now culminated in this TA, the statement said.

As per the agreement, Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines, the first of which was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy at the end of 2023.

Apart from S80 class, Navantia has been involved in design and construction of Scorpéne class of submarines together with DCNS (Now Naval Group) of France.

Navantia has also been involved in the Scorpene submarines (Kalvari class) built in India including handholding of the Indian yard, the statement said.

“The P75(I) programme calls for integration of an AIP system. Navantia’s state-of-the-art 3rd generation AIP solution is the most advanced and efficient AIP system in the world, apart from also being the most compact, easiest to exploit and maintain and environment friendly.

“It uses bioethanol as a source of hydrogen which is known to be cost efficient, easily available, and does not call for any special infrastructure. High density of hydrogen in ethanol improves the AIP system’s efficiency,” it said.