Naval Group India Launches Fifth Scorpene-class Submarine

On November 12th 2020, INS Vagir was launched by Smt Vijaya Shripad Naik, wife of Shri Shripad Naik, Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri. INS Vagir is the fifth P75 Scorpene® submarine entirely built by the Indian shipyard Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) based on years of technology transfer and partnership with Naval Group. After recent commissioning of INS Khanderi in September 2019 and the launch of the INS Vela in May 2019, the Vagir, the fifth of the series of six Kalvari-class submarines ordered by India in 2005, to be launched.

“Naval Group is proud to be part of first of its kind P75 Kalvari program to deliver entirely “Made in India” submarines to the Indian Navy. The P75 program is a major element of the strategic Indo-French partnership developed over the last decades. This launch, amidst Covid-19 challenges, represents a new milestone for this unique industrial program and illustrates the Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) of Indian Navy and industry”, mentioned Alain Guillou, Senior EVP – International Development at Naval Group.

This event highlights the success of the indigenous submarines construction program of the Government of India. These submarines have been completely built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) through a transfer of technology from Naval Group, in line with Indian Government’s “Make in India” policy. This series of six submarines are fitted with a number of equipment, built in India by qualified and highly trained industrial Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs) which form the sound base of the Indian submarine building ecosystem.

The Scorpene® is a conventional-propulsion submarine designed and developed by Naval Group for all types of mission, such as surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations or intelligence gathering. Extremely stealthy and fast, its level of operating automation allows for a limited crew which reduces its operating costs significantly. Its combat edge is highlighted by the fact that it has 6 weapon launching tubes and 18 weapons (torpedoes, missiles, mines). With 14 submarines sold internationally by Naval Group, the Scorpene® is an essential reference product in the area of conventional attack submarines (SSK) for Navies across the world. The Scorpene® can be adapted to meet special needs of international navies.

Naval Group is present in India through its 100% subsidiary Naval Group India. Established in September 2008, Naval Group India’s mission has been to support the indigenisation of equipment for Scorpene® submarine, to develop the Indian defence eco-system, as well as to develop design services in India with talented Indian engineers. Naval Group India endeavours to be a visionary and to further its involvement in empowering more industries by creating a robust eco-system that can cater to the varied defence needs of the country. The Naval Group (formerly known as Direction des Constructions Navales or DCNS) is a global and major French defense contractor and an industrial group that specialized in naval-based defense platform and the marine renewable energy. The group employs next to 13,000 people in 18 countries. The company is owned in part by the Agence des participations de l’État, a private company through which the French state holds a 62.49% stake, Thales holds 35% and the personnel a 1.64% stake. The remaining 0.87% are owned by the heir to the French naval dockyards and the Direction des Constructions et Armes Navales (DCAN), which became the DCN (Direction des Constructions Navales) in 1991, DCNS in 2007 and Naval Group since 2017.