By Sangeeta Saxena
Paris. 15 July 2023. Some friendships remain strong and win-win forever, giving both the sides reason to smile. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France as Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade ending with the intent to buy three more submarines from the host nation, was one such announcement. As the two nations are celebrating the silver jubilee of the strategic partnership, the going gets better and the ties stronger.
The winner at the end is Naval Group the French ship building major who has given the Indian fleet it’s Scorpene class submarines in collaboration with Mazagon Dockyards Ltd, the Indian DPSU.
In a statement issued ,Naval Group welcomed the announcement made by Indian and French authorities regarding the extension of the Indo-French partnership with the objective to explore ambitious submarines projects. It stated, “Naval Group would like to thank the Indian and French authorities for the announcement regarding the extension of the Indo-French partnership and the objective to explore more ambitious projects to develop the Indian fleet and its performance. Mazagon Dock Shipbuliders Limited (MDL) remains our natural partner.This decision is a testimony of the Indian Navy’s trust in the industrial cooperation we have established, and reaffirms the success of the transfer of technology achieved under the P75 programme for six submarines, which were built entirely in India by MDL.”
The P75 programme, as well as other initiatives created by Naval Group and its Indian industry partners to supply the Indian Navy with the most cutting-edge naval defense technologies, have been centered on the “Make in India” policy.
“We welcome the declarations made during the Indian Prime Minister’s historic participation to the French National Day, to continue and further strengthen our 15-year submarine building cooperation, which is a major element of the Indo-French strategic partnership developed over the past decades. Naval Group and its partners will be fully mobilised to meet the expectations of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and the Indian industry to fulfil the needs of the Indian Navy, ” said Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group.
In order to build three more submarines for the P75 program, Mazgon Dockyard Limited of India and Naval Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reiterating trust and reliance in each other.
The DAC approved the AoN for Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) to purchase three more Scorpene submarines under the Buy (Indian) category. Additionally to assisting in sustaining the necessary force level and operational preparedness of the Indian Navy, the purchase of more submarines with a larger indigenous content will also significantly increase employment prospects in the local market. Additionally, it will aid the MDL in developing its capacity and know-how in building submarines.
