Why in News?

• The fifth Scorpène submarine, Vagir of Project – 75 Kalvari Class submarines has been delivered to the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai.

About Project 75:

• Project-75 includes the indigenous construction of six submarines of Scorpene design. These submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with Naval Group, France.
• INS Kalvari, the first of the Scorpene-design submarines built by MDL in collaboration with the French Naval Group (earlier DCNS), was commissioned in December 2017. Khanderi, Karanj and Vela – the 2nd, 3rd and 4th boats under this project – were commissioned in September 2019, December 2020 and December 2021 respectively.
• The delivery of the Vagir also starts the countdown to the conclusion of Project 75. Vagsheer, the sixth and final boat under this programme to build a new line of diesel-electric submarines, is under sea trials and is expected to be handed over to the Indian Navy within a year.

More About submarines:

• A 30-year submarine building plan for the Indian Navy was approved in 1999 to build 24 submarines under two production lines. This programme is running way behind schedule. Issuance of an estimated Rs 42,000 Crore tender for the second line of six submarines to be produced under Project 75 (I) has undergone repeated delays. India aims to build the Project 75(I) submarines under the ambitious Strategic Partnership Programme, in which Indian shipyards will bid for the contract in technical collaboration with a foreign partner.
• The Indian Navy submarine arm is now equipped with seven Russian-origin Kilo class submarines (Sindhughosh class), four German-designed HDW submarines (Shishumar class) and five of the French-designed Scorpenes (Kalvari class), besides one Arihant class nuclear deterrence submarine (SSBN).
• The Chinese PLA Navy is reported to operate at least 60 submarines while the Pakistan Navy has a fleet of eight submarines.