Mumbai, November 1, 2025—In a defining moment for India’s underwater dominance, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Spain’s Navantia have been awarded the ₹43,000 crore Project-75 India (P-75I) contract to deliver six advanced Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) Scorpene-class submarines by 2032. The deal—finalized after a decade-long tender—leverages the Kalvari-class success (6 boats already in service) and introduces lithium-ion batteries, vertical launch systems (VLS) for BrahMos, and 75% indigenization.

This program directly supports the Rafale M carrier strike on INS Vikrant and extends the Andaman & Nicobar Command’s blue-water reach, fortified by CMS-03 satellite comms.

P-75I Scorpene: Evolution of a Silent Predator

The P-75I variant builds on Kalvari with next-gen stealth and endurance:

• Displacement: 2,000 tons (surfaced)
• AIP System: DRDO fuel cell + Navantia lithium-ion batteries
• Endurance: 21 days submerged (vs. 14 days Kalvari)
• Range: 12,000 km at 8 knots
• Weapons: 6 x 533mm tubes + 12-cell VLS (BrahMos, torpedoes)
• Speed: 20+ knots submerged
• Depth: > 350 m
• Sonar: Thales TSM 2232 + DRDO flank array

MDL Chairman Cmdr. T.V. Thomas (Retd.) stated, “P-75I is not just a submarine—it’s a strategic asset that owns the Indian Ocean.”

P-75I scale model: VLS behind sail, lithium-ion AIP modules visible (MDL/Navantia Render)

Lithium-Ion AIP: Game-Changing Endurance

P-75I introduces dual AIP:

• DRDO Fuel Cell: 300 kW, hydrogen-oxygen, 7-day silent run
• Navantia Li-Ion Batteries: 6 MWh, fast recharge, 14-day endurance

Combined: 21 days submerged at 4 knots—3x longer than Kalvari. Enables covert patrols from Gulf of Aden to Malacca Strait without surfacing.

BrahMos VLS: First for Indian Subs

Each P-75I carries 12 BrahMos-NG supersonic missiles in a mid-body VLS:

• Range: 290 km (land/sea targets)
• Launch: Submerged, 45° angle
• Time-to-Target: < 5 mins

Transforms subs from ASW platforms to multi-role strike assets—capable of sinking PLAN destroyers or hitting coastal HQs.

₹43,000 Cr Deal: 75% Indigenous Content

Breakdown:

• MDL: Hull, integration, final assembly
• Navantia: Design, AIP, VLS ToT
• DRDO: Fuel cell, sonar, combat system
• L&T: Lithium-ion batteries (Pune)
• Tata: Torpedoes, periscopes

75% local value addition—up from 40% in Kalvari.

MDL Mumbai: New covered bay for P-75I hull fabrication—first steel cut 2027 (MDL Photo)

Construction & Delivery Timeline

Approved by CCS in Oct 2025:

• 2026: Detailed design freeze
• Q1 2027: First keel laying (INS Vagsheer successor)
• 2030: Lead boat sea trials
• 2032: All 6 commissioned
• Rate: 1 submarine every 9 months

MDL’s new covered bay in Mumbai will build two hulls simultaneously.

Strategic Role: IOR Dominance & Beyond

P-75I will:

• Shadow PLAN SSNs in Arabian Sea
• Block Malacca chokepoint with BrahMos VLS
• Support QUAD ASW ops with Link-16 via CMS-03
• Enable covert minelaying off Gwadar

Base ports: Visakhapatnam, Karwar, Port Blair.

Export Potential: Scorpene-E with Indian Tech

MDL-Navantia eyeing Scorpene-E with:

• DRDO AIP + BrahMos VLS
• MTCR-compliant 200 km missile

Target markets: Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand—first export 2033.

Conclusion

P-75I is more than a submarine program—it’s India’s underwater renaissance. From Mumbai’s docks to the depths of the Indian Ocean, these six AIP Scorpenes—with lithium-ion endurance and BrahMos fangs—ensure the Tricolor rules the waves. As the first keel is laid in 2027, P-75I cements Atmanirbhar Bharat in naval warfare, proving that silence is now India’s loudest weapon.

Stay submerged: We’ll bring you live from the first P-75I launch ceremony in Mumbai, Q1 2027.