Why India's Submarine Fleet is Deployed for Just 6 Out of 10 Days

[Zarvan]

India has only 10 conventional submarines when it needs 24.

NEW DELHI: Indian submarines, on an average, are available for just six out of 10 days for operational deployment. And of every 10 tasks allotted to the fleet, it has to drop at least one, a senior Naval officer told NDTV.

India needs at least 24 conventional submarines but only has 10 - which includes a nuclear submarine leased from Russia in 2002. The last conventional submarine was acquired in the late '90s. Each conventional boat in the fleet is around 20 years old.


In contrast, China has 60 -- 48 conventional and 12 nuclear submarines. Pakistan has five submarines and is acquiring 8 Shang class submarines from China.

The depletion of submarine fleet isn't the Navy's only cause of concern.

"We have major issues with spare parts that reduces availability of platforms," the officer told NDTV. India's efforts to reverse engineer spares have been successful, "but it is not perfect," the officer said.

"The aging fleet means that the stress to run the boat is more and leaves the crew with less and less time for critical tasks," the officers added.

Submarines are critical for "sea-denial" - refusing the enemy space to navigate and dominate the sea. Indian Navy's charter spreads over a vast mass of water stretching from Gulf of Aden in the West to the Straits of Malacca in the South.

In 1999, the government had approved a 30-year submarine building programme. The plan proposed building six submarines in India by 2012 and six more by 2030.

But although India signed up with French Weapons manufacturer DCNS to acquire six Scorpene Disel-Electric attack submarines in 2005, the process has been delayed by half a decade.

The first boat - INS Kalvari, being built in Mumbai's Mazagon Dock - will be out for sea trial this year and is expected to join the Navy in late 2016.

The plan to build six more submarines under the "Make in India" programme is yet to take off. South Block is yet to decide which shipyard should be given the contract.
Story First Published: August 27, 2015 00:59 IST

Why India's Submarine Fleet is Deployed for Just 6 Out of 10 Days
@nair @GURU DUTT and others

 

[Chanakyaa]

Thats, Indian Navy Trolling Indian Govt. ( See how cleverly they DIDNT mention INS Chakra and INS Arihant )

Awesome.

They know that they only lag in this area ( compared to CHINA < not Pakistan which is almost equal to Indian Coast Guard > ) , and InshaAllah , we shall have a Modest Fleet of Nuclear SSBNs and SSNs very sson.

 

[Hephaestus]

Thats, Indian Navy Trolling Indian Govt. ( See how cleverly they DIDNT mention INS Chakra and INS Arihant )

Awesome.

They know that they only lag in this area ( compared to CHINA < not Pakistan which is almost equal to Indian Coast Guard > ) , and InshaAllah , we shall have a Modest Fleet of Nuclear SSBNs and SSNs very sson.

Well put. But, you do agree we need more conventional and SSN's.

 

[Chanakyaa]

Well put. But, you do agree we need more conventional and SSN's.

Absolutely. India has a unique place in IOR. AIP based SSKs fit the bill as they can patrol the IOR region quice well.
They are our OPERATIONAL needs and cheaper to build and Quick to Induct.

SSNs and SSBNs are more needed to match/counter China.

 

[zambino]

Meanwhile according to prasun sengupta india cleared the ground for 3-4 more scopenes . That means navy will scrap 75i tender. And will focus on ssn.

 

[Chanakyaa]

Well put. But, you do agree we need more conventional and SSN's.

Absolutely. India has a unique place in IOR. AIP, SSK

Meanwhile according to prasun sengupta india cleared the ground for 3-4 more scopenes . That means navy will scrap 75i tender. And will focus on ssn.

I doubt that. 75I is a Navy Project, They dont change their stand like IAF and IA.

 

[zambino]

Lets see. But follow on scorpenes make sense. As we will borrow the design of scorpene for our ssn.

 

[Optimos Prime IA]

Meanwhile according to prasun sengupta india cleared the ground for 3-4 more scopenes . That means navy will scrap 75i tender. And will focus on ssn.

No way .As P75I supposed to be oir technical support for indigenous ssk . And P75 is small compared with P75I . Of course chances are there for additional scorpene yet our government dont want to . If you think about it its well with in Make in India as far as P75 are concerned and we already have inhouse capabilities to build at faster phase too .