Indian Navy's first Scorpene submarine under Project 75 was undocked on Monday at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in the presence of the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. The diesel-electric powered Scorpene submarine to be called INS Kalvari after commissioning will undergo extensive sea trials before it is cleared to formally join the Indian Navy.
Parrikar will also review the progress of the much-delayed Scorpene submarine project at the Western Naval Command.
India is building six Scorpene submarines with the help of French firm DCNS at MDL. Though the first Scorpene submarine was scheduled to be handed over in 2012, the revised dates are now September 2016.
In October 2005, the contract for 'Project-75' was awarded to French defence giant DCNS to build six Franco-Spanish Scorpene-class diesel attack submarines at MDL. The deal involved extensive technology transfer agreements.
Even though French blame the Indian side for the delay, Parrikar has said the delay is "mainly" due to difficulties in procuring material from foreign vendors.
Parrikar said the shipyard has undertaken augmentation of the manpower, infrastructure and industrial means in a phased manner to meet the production target and that the production capabilities have also been augmented.
The visit also assumes significance as MDL would be one of the contenders for the P-75I project under which India plans to indigenously develop six more submarines.
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