SOURCE: AFI
India’s naval modernization has hit a rare snag—not from adversaries, but from within its own ranks. Vice Admiral (Retd) KN Sushil, a seasoned submariner and former Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command, has publicly challenged the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) lead in designing submarines under Project-76. Speaking to News9 Plus Editor Sandeep Unnithan Sushil asked a pointed question: why is DRDO crafting a new submarine when the Navy’s own Submarine Design Group (SDG), nestled within the Directorate of Naval Design (DND), is fully equipped to do the job? He further questioned the need for design approval if DRDO claims such capability, igniting a debate that cuts to the heart of India’s defense ecosystem.
Project-76 is DRDO’s bold bid to deliver six next-generation electric-conventional (diesel-electric) submarines, with Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval expected by April 2025. Touted as 90-95% indigenous, these 3,000-4,000-ton boats promise advanced features DRDO’s phosphoric acid-based Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), lithium-ion batteries, pump-jet propulsion, and possibly vertical launch systems (VLS) for cruise missiles. The agency aims to finalize the design by 2028, with the first hull afloat by 2033-34—a timeline synced with the Navy’s urgent need to counter China’s 40-plus conventional subs and Pakistan’s growing fleet.
Sushil’s argument hinges on the Submarine Design Group, a specialized arm of the Directorate of Naval Design under the Navy’s Design Organisation. Since the 1960s, the DND has birthed over 19 warship classes—frigates like the Shivalik, destroyers like the Kolkata, and carriers like INS Vikrant—with the SDG spearheading submarine efforts. The Arihant-class, though DRDO-led, leaned heavily on SDG’s hull design and hydrodynamic expertise, per a 2016 MoD report.
Sushil’s second jab—questioning the need for design approval—strikes at bureaucratic oddities. If DRDO is capable, as it claims, why seek CCS sanction for a design phase that SDG could execute in-house? Project-76’s timeline—three years to finalize blueprints—mirrors naval design norms, yet DRDO’s process involves external validation, unlike SDG’s seamless Navy-MoD pipeline. “Approval for what?” Sushil quipped, suggesting DRDO’s involvement adds layers where none are needed.
The critique hints at turf wars. DRDO’s submarine foray, backed by a ?10,000 crore budget floated in 2024 talks, contrasts with SDG’s leaner, Navy-funded model. Critics like Sushil see redundancy—two agencies chasing the same goal, splitting resources when unity could accelerate Project-76.
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