India is poised to seal the procurement of 26 naval variants of Rafale fighter jets and three additional Scorpene-class submarines next month, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi announced on Monday. At the annual press conference ahead of Navy Day observed on December 4, Admiral Tripathi highlighted the government’s recent approval for two nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) as a testament to India’s growing indigenous shipbuilding capabilities. He also noted that 62 ships and one submarine are currently under construction within the country, reflecting sustained efforts to enhance India’s naval strength and self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said many platforms are set to be inducted into the Navy over the next year, with at least one ship slated for commissioning each month.
“We have redoubled efforts to include niche technologies into the force,” Admiral Tripathi said.
“62 warships and one submarine are under construction in the country and there is acceptance of the necessity for 31 more powerful warships and submarines including six submarines of the Project-75 India,” he added.
60 Utility Helicopters Marine for the Indian Navy are also in consideration, while the Navy is also working on disruptive technologies like Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, robotics and quantum computing.
He also stated that the procurement of the Rafale-M (naval variant) fighter jets and additional Scorpene-class submarines is expected to be finalized next month. The decision to acquire the Rafale-M jets from France was approved by the Ministry of Defence in July last year, with plans to deploy them primarily aboard the indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.
“Rafale Marine is at an advanced stage of negotiations and is only one level short of taking it to the Cabinet Committee on Security. Since it is a government-to-government deal, it should not take much time,” Tripathi said.
Navy Chief Surprised Over Pakistan’s 50-Ship Force Aim
On Pakistan’s efforts to increase its maritime prowess, Admiral Tripathi said the Indian Navy is ready to deal with any possible threat from neighbouring countries. CNS Admiral Tripathi also reacted to reports on ongoing upgrade of Pakistan navy and said that the country has chosen weapons over welfare of their people.
“We are aware of the surprising growth of the Pakistan Navy. They aim to become a 50-ship force. Seeing their economy, it is very surprising how they are building or getting so many ships. They have decided to choose weapons over the welfare of their people. So good luck to them,” the Navy Chief said.
Keeping Watch on China
Navy Chief said that the country is well aware of the threats posed by China and Pakistan.
“We are keeping a watch on extra-regional forces operating in the Indian Ocean Region including the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy, their warships, their research vessels and satellite tracking ships,” he said.
Emphasising the nexus between Pakistan and China, he said, “Many Pakistan Navy warships and submarines are being built with Chinese support showing that China is interested in making Pakistan’s Navy stronger.”
“Their eight new submarines will have significant combat potential for Pakistan Navy but we are fully aware of their capabilities. That is why we are tweaking our concepts to be able to tackle all threats from our neighbours,” he added.
Nuclear-Capable Missile Test
The Chief of Naval Staff confirmed that India successfully tested the 3,500-km-range nuclear-capable K-4 missile from a ballistic missile submarine, believed to be the recently commissioned INS Arighaat. He noted that further data on the missile’s trajectory is being processed.
The test was conducted on November 27 off the coast of Visakhapatnam, marking a significant milestone as the first test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from an Indian submarine.
With this successful K-4 missile test, India has joined an elite group of nations capable of launching nuclear missiles from land, air, and sea, bolstering its nuclear triad and strategic deterrence capabilities.
Indigenous Nuclear Submarine Plan
Navy Chief revealed that the Indian Navy aims to commission its first fully indigenously designed nuclear attack submarine (SSN) by 2036-37, with the second expected to follow within two years.
Providing further details, Admiral Tripathi stated that the 30-year-old submarine-building program has been revised. Under the original plan set in 1999, India was to induct 24 conventional submarines by 2030. However, only five have been commissioned so far, with the sixth Scorpene-class submarine under Project 75 slated for commissioning soon.
The next phase of the program, involving six conventional submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems under Project 75 (India), is yet to be contracted and will require additional time. The expertise gained from Project 75 (I) was intended to be leveraged for Project 76, which envisions the construction of 12 fully Indigenous submarines, further strengthening India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
India has a separate program for nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), funded through a separate mechanism and operated under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
Providing updates on nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), the Navy Chief Admiral revealed that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the construction of two SSNs, marking a significant step in bolstering India’s underwater combat capabilities.
“As per our time, as per our in-house capabilities, we feel that 2036-37 is a very realistic time frame for the first one to be inducted and may be a couple of years for the second one,” he said.
He emphasized that the submarine design would be entirely indigenous, highlighting that the government’s approval reflects solid confidence in the Indian Navy’s capabilities and the domestic defence industry.
Ravi Shankar
