*NEW DELHI:* India seek strategic partner for 6 state of the art submarines worth Rs 45,000 crore.
India on Thursday issued the Expression of Interest and sought application from ship-building companies for the construction of six P 75(I) Submarines for the Navy for about Rs 45,000 crore, Zee News has reported.
The project under the "Make in India" programme of the Narendra Modi government is the second project being undertaken under the latest Strategic Partnership (SP) Model, the first being the procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH).
As part of the deal, the government is not only aiming to give the Indian Navy the latest conventional submarines, but is also hopeful that P 75(I) would provide "a major boost to the indigenous design and construction capability of submarines in India" along with bringing in the latest submarine design and technologies as part of the project.
The project was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council on January 31, 2019.
The companies shortlisted for P 75(I) will have to set up dedicated manufacturing lines for the six submarines in India and make the country the global hub for design and production of such under-water vessels.
After the first six submarines are built in India, the Navy can exercise the option of manufacturing six more warships under P 75 (I).