As India’s only Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine INS Chakra on its way back to Russia as the lease period is about to over, the Navy just got INR 43,000 Cr for new six submarines and more INR 6,800 Cr for new weapons. INS Chakra is an Akula class attack submarine taken on a lease back in Soviet Days in 1988. The Navy is still discussing increasing the lease duration if INS Chakra gets an upgrade on Russia.
You may think INS Arihant and INS Aridaman are also nuclear powered, and one is currently on service, but Arihant class submarines are Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Submarine which completes India’s Nuclear Triad. They are basically Underwater Missile Launchers for the K4 and upcoming K15 missiles.
But this morning, the weapon procurement and new submarine building budget just gave a reason to smile for the Indian Navy sailors, as many were worried as they had to say goodbye to INS Chakra. The budget was allocated by the DAC or Defense Acquisition Council as Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh Ji Tweeted.
The new submarines will be conventional ones but will have the capabilities to stay underwater for weeks. These submarines will be developed under the P75(I) Project. The submarines will also reflect the Strategic-Partnership model and involve various private players like Larsen & Toubro under the ‘Make in India’ campaign. This is one of the biggest projects of recent times under the campaign. According to sources, these submarines will be the Kalvari Class submarines based on the French Scorpène-class Submarines. These submarines can stay underwater for up to 50 days. These will soon be accompanied by more than 24 submarines of the Kalvari Class in the near future. Indian Navy is also looking forward to getting budget for new 57 fighter jets for the current and upcoming Aircraft Carriers, 111 Naval Utility Helicopters, and 123 multi-role helicopters.
The INR 6000 Cr will be mostly spent on Air Defense gun’s ammunition and supplies.
On a bitter note, after 40 years of service, INS Sandhayak, India Navy’s Hydrographic Survey Ship, got decommissioned in Vishakhapatnam yesterday. It not only worked as a survey ship with more than 200 major and minor findings in both the Eastern and Western coasts of India and neighboring nations; It served in Operation Pawan and Operation Rainbow for relief works in 1987 and 2004, respectively. Its last major involvement was in the exercise Tiger-Triumph in 2019.