In the winter of 1971, Indian attacks had reduced Karachi’s port to ashes and confusion, cutting off the economic lifeblood of Pakistan and thus changing the course of the war for good. Today, with more than five decades having lapsed, the maritime policy of the Indian government is once again diving deep, not in missiles and bombs, but in silence and caution, in deterrence.
Friedrich Merz, in a trip to India during a tumultuous global security scenario, has brought into focus Project-75I, a program that not only reveals that India is getting ready for a very complex blue horizon, but it’s not just about how they deal with their own Pakistan, it’s about how they deal with China as well.
The project of the Indian Navy, named Project-75I, comprises six new generation diesel-electric submarines with ‘air-independent propulsion’ and ‘multi-role weaponry.
This project, cleared in 2021 under the Strategic Partnership Model and is inextricably intertwined with Make in India. Whereas rough estimates had declared it to be around the tune of ₹40,000 crores, the expectation is that it will end up costing about $8 billion.
The problem is one of immediacy–precisely when the Indian Ocean is witnessing an increase in the pace of underwater events, the Indian conventional submarine force is in the process of shrinking.
Why Germany’s Design Won India’s Confidence
After several years of assessment, India has shortlisted the Type-214 Next Generation Submarine offer made by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to win the contract against Spain’s S-80 Plus Submarines.
This was not a case of “ambition”, but of “certainty”. The German fuel cell AIP system has been in service for several years and has given the submarines an unlimited endurance at a noise level that is hardly audible.
“Silence” means survival for submarines.
In high-risk environments, nothing is more valuable to planners than having systems that deliver exactly what they claim. The established stealth capabilities and reduced risk profile of the Type-214 submarine of central importance, rather than functionalities that had not yet been proven or promises for the future
Construction of submarines and indigenous capacity
The construction work for the six ships will take place in India at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. This process involves the transfer of technology from Germany.
Indigenous components will start from nearly 45 percent and go up to nearly 60 percent in the final versions of the submarines. Experience in the construction of the Scorpène-class submarines for MDL had given confidence to the policymakers that “India has the capability to design and develop complex submarines on their own.”
When it comes to the Navy case, “the prize is not to have six hulls but to achieve dominance in submarine design, integration, and sustainment.”
Pakistan & the ever-looming threat of Karachi
A substantial component of Indian deterrence strategy for Pakistan consists of submarines. The port of Karachi has been shown to be the lifeline for the country, as it handles a large chunk of the trade and oil needs of the country.
In the Indian case, they do not need to strike to exert pressure. Even the simple presence of possibly lurking Indian submarines in the area without being detected has an impact on the Pakistani considerations to the extent that they are investing resources to weigh alternative options in light of strategic ambiguity. And this is the effectiveness of sea denials, and having submarines with AIP technology makes it all the more possible.
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A shadow beneath China’s surface
One of the worrying players on the scene is China. It has a rapidly growing and moving fleet of submarines, including nuclear-powered submarines that are presently operating in the Indian Ocean.
The Chinese submarines have been making port calls in the region, and attempts by thePakistan government, with help from China, are being made to increase thecountry’s own submarine strengths.
It’s all about managing the equation for India, keeping a watchful eye on choke points, following enemy movements, and making sure that the Indian Ocean doesn’t slip out of Indian control.
Why Timing Is More Important Now than Ever
Merz’s India Visit Reflects Germany’s Ambition in Indo-Pacific and India’s Effort to Diversify its Defence Relationships. Despite this deal being yet to sign, political will indicates that it will likely be finalized within months.
When these are in action, they will never look for the spotlight. They are designed to be “unseen, unheard, and decisive.”
Beginning from the “burning” harbor of Karachi in 1971 and into the “silent” patrols of the Indian Ocean today, this is a new paradigm of state and naval strategy that better reflects an India that finds its strength not in show and dazzle but in what it is not and cannot be.
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