Naval Group Eyes Expanding Its Footprint In India

France’s Naval Group is hopeful of securing a follow-on order for three additional Scorpene-class submarines. It is also collaborating on heavyweight torpedoes, signalling a deeper, longer-term play in India’s undersea programme.

In an exclusive interview with BharatShakti Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale, Rear Admiral Rahul Shrawat (Retd), Chairman of Naval Group India and former CMD of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), said the company remains committed to expanding its footprint as India looks to consolidate gains from Project-75.

Project-75, under which six Scorpene-class submarines were built at MDL, has restored India’s conventional submarine construction capability after decades of stagnation. All six boats are now commissioned, marking a significant milestone in indigenous warship building.

Shrawat acknowledged the programme’s early delays but underlined that it ultimately helped rebuild an industrial complex ecosystem involving public-sector yards, private industry, and MSMEs.

“Sustaining these capabilities is the real challenge,” he indicated, stressing that submarine design and construction require continuity of orders and skills.

Follow-on order in focus

Against this backdrop, Naval Group is optimistic about a government-to-government deal for three more Scorpene submarines, likely to be constructed at MDL at an estimated cost of Rs 33,000–36,000 crore. The proposed boats are expected to be equipped with an indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system developed by DRDO, which would significantly enhance underwater endurance.

While maintaining that the final decision rests with the government, Shrawat suggested that the industrial base is ready to take on additional orders.

“If the requirement comes, we will be there,” he said, pointing to existing infrastructure and trained manpower.

The French major is also actively supporting the integration of India’s indigenously developed Electric Heavy Weight Torpedo (EHWT), designed by DRDO’s NSTL in Visakhapatnam, into the Kalvari-class submarines, which is seen as a critical capability gap in the Navy’s submarine arm. He stressed that such efforts align with India’s push for indigenisation and self-reliance, with scope for local manufacturing and technology absorption.

AIP integration and lifecycle support

Naval Group’s immediate focus remains on lifecycle support for the six in-service Scorpenes, alongside plans to integrate DRDO’s AIP system into the existing fleet, a process often referred to as “jumboisation” and involving hull modifications.

“This is a significant technical exercise, and we will continue to support it,” Shrawat said, adding that the company’s India arm, now over 100 personnel strong, reflects its long-term commitment.

Strategic partnership

Describing India as a “strategic country” for the group, Shrawat said the India-France defence partnership continues to deepen, particularly in the naval domain. He emphasised that sustaining a “sovereign conventional submarine capability” would require consistent policy support, timely procurement decisions and continued investment in domestic industry.

With the Navy’s requirements unlikely to shrink and underwater warfare gaining prominence, the next set of decisions, on additional Scorpenes, AIP retrofits, and torpedo capability, could shape India’s submarine force for the coming decades.

Team Bharatshakti