NEW DELHI: In an attempt to strengthen the Naval assets of the country, the Centre has cleared the indigenous production of seven stealth frigates and six nuclear-powered submarines at a cost of about Rs 1 lakh crore. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime minister Narendra Modi, took a decision to this effect recently.
Defence officials claim that the move to build new submarines is part of the 30-year submarine building programme cleared in 1999.
The plan is to have 24 submarines in 30 years. The first project was the P75, under which six Scorpene-class submarines are being built in India. Another project for six more submarines was cleared by the government last year and this project was titled P75I. The ‘Request for Proposal’ for the project is likely to be issued next month, the defence sources said. The Centre has also decided to go ahead with ‘Project-17A’ for stealth frigates under which four of them will be constructed at Mazagon Docks (MDL)in Mumbai and three at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata.
Sources said this was a “follow on” order and money had been allocated for the same.