The first project that is being negotiated is for the procurement of three Scorpene submarines, which will be jointly constructed by state-run Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) and French defence major Naval Group.
The Indian Navy has commissioned three new warships, INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer, marking a significant step in India's defense self-reliance and indigenous shipbuilding capabilities. These state-of-the-art vessels are designed and built entirely in India, showcasing the country's growing expertise in defense production. The commissioning of these warships strengthens India's position as a global leader in defense and augments its maritime strength.
INS Surat is the Indian Navy's first AI enabled warship.
Displacing 1,700 tonnes, it is 219 feet long and has a speed of over 20 knots. It can remain at sea for about 50 days with a crew of 31, and can dive to a depth of more than a thousand feet.
The negotiations on cost and techno-commercial details relating to India's proposed procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines from France are not yet concluded, sources said on Tuesday.
The status of the current submarine force level is alarming and we need to address the threat perceptions expeditiously. Critical decisions pertaining to national security cannot be delayed any further due to the rapidly changing maritime threat perceptions and growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean region, asserts Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The transfer plea related to a libel suit filed by a Canadian woman Gwendolyn Berger, whose name figured in the investigations conducted by the authorities after the magazine claimed that the deal was shady.
INS Karanj is the third Kalavari-class submarine to be commissioned into the Navy. The diesel-electric submarines based on the Scorpene design are also referred as Scorpene class submarines.
Christened 'Vela', the submarine was launched on May 6, 2019, and has completed all major harbour and sea trials including weapon and sensor trials despite COVID-19-induced restrictions, the Navy said.
DRDO's Air Independent Propulsion system will allow Indian Navy submarines to operate for up to two weeks without having to surface to recharge its batteries.
"There is a high-level committee which is inquiring into the Scorpene leak on our side," Admiral Lanba said.
'The F-21's capabilities far exceed all other torpedoes currently in service.'
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar immediately ordered the navy chief to personally inquire into what this meant for India's maritime security.
The development marks a major milestone in Indian Navy's submarine programme as the vessel is expected to bolster India's maritime prowess
There is concern about the poor state of readiness of the navy's 140 warships which face severe shortages in sonar equipment, helicopters and torpedoes.
'Pakistan needs to understand that the Indian Navy has become much stronger with the commissioning of the Khanderi
This is the fourth of the six submarines the Indian Navy is to induct under the Kalvari-class submarine Project-75.
Vagir is part of the six Kalvari-class submarines being built in India.
Rahul Bedi explains how 'miscellaneous' factors have posed a major hurdle in negotiating the Rafale deal.
BJP demanded a probe against Verma and Naval chief Admiral Arun Prakash's close relative Ravi Shankaran in connection with the two cases.
The government has withdrawn the tender for purchase of 98 torpedos for Scorpene submarines which a subsidiary of chopper scam tainted Italian defence conglomerate Finmeccanica had won during the UNited Progressive Alliance regime.
The first of six French-designed Scorpene submarines which are being manufactured in Mumbai, was launched into the water on Monday, initiating the process for extensive sea trials.
The Scorpene submarine does not have enough firepower; it will share 64 obsolescent SUT torpedoes till the Indian Navy is supplied with 100 heavyweight torpedoes -- a process that could take more than two years to complete
There were 35 defects that still remained to be resolved. Of these, 29 could not have been resolved during the monsoon since they required testing in absolutely calm seas. Nor is the Khanderi being commissioned with a full complement of its primary weapon, the torpedo.
The navy said it has taken up the matter with the Directorate General of Armament of the French government expressing concern over the incident.
Under-construction warship 'Visakhapatnam' caught fire at 5.44 pm. The blaze erupted on the second deck of the ship.
The leaked documents include details of submarine's underwater sensors, above-water sensors, combat management system, torpedo launch system and specifications, communications system and navigation systems.
Hydrography (underwater geography) prevents the Indian Navy for opting for an all-conventional, or all-nuclear submarine fleet.
Bogged down by kickback charges, the Scorpene submarine deal has now come under criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General for the delay involved and financial "advantage" given to the French company. In its latest audit report tabled in Parliament on Saturday, the Comptroller and Auditor General came down heavily on the Defence Ministry for the nine-year delay.
The Centre on Friday refused to give a report of the Central Bureau of Investigation's preliminary investigation into the Scorpene submarine deal to a petitioner who had approached the Delhi high court on the matter
An official said that there were stringent norms at MDL on data security.
Mukherjee also pointed out that in some cases, penal action had already been taken against middlemen after their role was established in defence deals.
The CBI was in the dock when the Delhi High Court on Monday questioned the kind of probe done by the investigating agency for ascertaining whether any kickbacks were paid in the multi-crore Scorpene Submarine deal and ordered it to submit a complete report.
Calling for a rethink of its submarine building programme, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said India should look for greater numbers than the existing plan of constructing 24 such vessels.
In a major defence deal, India on Monday decided to acquire six highly advanced French Scorpene submarines worth $3 billion.
The French Embassy in India has also termed the reports as "slanderous", while the French firm has moved the Delhi High Court against the journal which first made the allegations, he said.
As a debate raged over sensitivity of leaked Scorpene data, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday played down the leak, saying it is "not a big worry" as weapon system details were not included, a remark challenged by the publisher who asserted these will be made public on Monday.
The defence ministry has lost sight of what it intended to achieve -- which was to nurture private defence firms that would compete on equal terms with the 9 defence PSUs and the 41 Ordnance Factory Board factories.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances