SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant development for India’s naval ambitions, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), the country’s premier submarine manufacturer, is independently designing a conventional diesel-electric submarine to rival a similar effort by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
An MDL official, speaking to idrw.org on March 18, 2025, revealed that the company’s in-house team is crafting a bespoke design to compete with DRDO’s proposal under Project-76. This dual-track approach could offer the Indian Navy two distinct indigenous options, enhancing flexibility and innovation in its quest for a next-generation underwater fleet.
MDL, based in Mumbai, boasts a unique legacy as the only Indian shipyard to have built two distinct submarine types: the German-origin Shishumar-class (Type 209) in the 1980s and the French-designed Scorpene-class under Project-75, with five delivered and a sixth nearing completion. The company is now poised to add a third type to its portfolio, having secured the Project-75I tender in partnership with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). Under this ?70,000 crore deal, MDL will construct six advanced submarines equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), with the first expected by 2032. Leveraging this experience, MDL is now venturing into fully indigenous design, independent of DRDO’s parallel Project-76 initiative.
The MDL official emphasized that the company’s design team collaborates closely with the Indian Navy to align its offering with operational requirements. “Our in-house team is in talks with the Navy so that our design is ready around the same time as DRDO’s,” the official told idrw.org.
This strategic timing aims to present the Navy with two competing designs, allowing a comprehensive evaluation of both. While DRDO recently sought Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval and funding for its Project-76 design phase—projected to take three years followed by five years of construction—MDL plans to finance its effort using internal resources, showcasing confidence in its technical and financial capacity.
The competition between MDL and DRDO underscores a broader push for self-reliance in India’s defence sector. DRDO’s Project-76 envisions six AIP-equipped diesel-electric submarines with 90-95% indigenous content. It builds on its experience with the Arihant-class nuclear submarines and an indigenous AIP system slated for Scorpene refits in 2025.
MDL, however, brings a shipbuilder’s perspective, drawing on decades of hands-on construction expertise and insights from its TKMS collaboration. The official hinted that MDL’s design could integrate lessons from P-75 and Project-75I’s German Type 212/214 platform, potentially featuring advanced stealth and propulsion technologies tailored to India’s needs.
This rivalry could prove a boon for the Navy, which faces a dwindling submarine fleet—currently 16 conventional boats (Kilo, Shishumar, and Scorpene classes), many nearing retirement. By 2035, when both designs might materialize, the Navy aims to field 18 conventional and six nuclear attack submarines. MDL’s design, if competitive, could accelerate this timeline or offer an alternative if DRDO’s ambitious timeline (first sub by 2033-34) falters. The official noted, “Both designs will in a way compete with each other, allowing the Navy to look into both options and pick the best fit.”
However, this dual effort raises questions about resource allocation and redundancy. DRDO’s design benefits from its R&D ecosystem and collaboration with the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB), while MDL’s relies on practical shipbuilding know-how and internal funding—estimated at a fraction of Project-76’s multi-thousand-crore budget. Critics might argue that pooling resources could streamline development, but proponents see competition as a driver of innovation, echoing the U.S. model of multiple vendors vying for contracts.
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