The government today cleared one of the largest ‘Make in India’ projects to indigenously build six new conventional submarines under the strategic partnership model for the Indian Navy at a cost of about Rs 43,000 crore.

At its meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) also approved proposals concerning capital acquisitions of various equipment, including Air defence guns and ammunition, for modernisation and operational needs of the Indian armed forces amounting to about Rs 6,800 crore.

The decision to build six submarines is significant as it will go a long way in reducing the gap between the strength of the Indian Navy and the Chinese Navy. It is understood that the specifications of the submarines and other critical requirements have been completed by the Indian Navy.

”This (submarine project) is a landmark approval, being the first case processed under the strategic partnership model. This would be one of the largest ‘Make in India’ projects and it will create a tiered industrial ecosystem for submarine construction in India,” the defence minister’s office tweeted.

The approval of the project will enable India to achieve its 30-year submarine construction programme envisioned by the government to acquire national competence in this field and for the Indian industry to independently design and construct submarines in India.

”The availability of new technologies and advanced manufacturing capabilities to Indian Industry will be an important step towards enhancing the nation’s quest for self-reliance in modern conventional submarine construction and create direct and indirect job opportunities in India,” the Ministry of Defence said.

The six submarines to be built will be conventional, diesel-electric vessels and are expected to be larger than the Scorpene-class subs currently under construction at Mazagon Dockyards Ltd in Mumbai. The submarines are likely to be equipped with land attack missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles. The watercraft are also expected to be capable of launching torpedoes at sea.