According to a PR published by Navantia on July 10, 2023, Indian multinational Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and the Spanish firm have signed a teaming agreement to submit a joint techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy's Project 75 (India) submarine program.
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Spanish Navy's S-80 Plus-class submarine Isaac Peral. (Picture source: Navantia)
The signing ceremony was attended by significant figures, including L&T CEO & MD S N Subrahmanyan and Navantia's Naval Construction Vice President, Augustin Alvarez Blanco, at the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi.
The project calls for six conventional submarines equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems, with a targeted indigenous content. Project 75 (India), expected to exceed a value of Euro 4.8 billion, is India's largest defense acquisition, followed by a similarly valued 30-year lifecycle sustenance contract.
Navantia's involvement will involve the design of P75(I) submarines, based on their S80 class, the first of which is set to be delivered to the Spanish Navy by the end of 2023. This isn't Navantia's first venture into submarine design and construction; it has a history of collaboration with France's Naval Group for Scorpéne class submarines, also constructed in India.
The project will leverage Navantia's advanced 3rd Generation AIP system, touted as efficient, compact, easy-to-maintain, and environmentally friendly. The system employs bioethanol, a cost-efficient and widely accessible hydrogen source, eliminating storage risks associated with hydrogen.
In addition to this collaboration, L&T and Navantia are exploring cooperation in other military and green energy programs, such as offshore wind via Navantia's Seanergies division.
Project-75(I)
Project-75 (India), or P-75(I), is an initiative by the Indian Ministry of Defence to procure six domestically built diesel-electric submarines for the Indian Navy.
Designed with international collaboration, these submarines will replace the existing Sindhughosh-class fleet. Despite several challenges and delays, the new submarines, featuring advanced warfare capabilities, are expected to be operational by the mid-2030s.
