According to information published by the Times of India on August 24, 2025, the Indian government has officially cleared Germany’s Type 214 submarine as the winning design for its long-delayed Project 75 program.
The approval allows state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) to begin contract negotiations with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the construction of six advanced Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarines, in a deal worth over 70,000 crore rupees, or approximately $8.4 billion. This decision comes after more than six months of delay and firmly excludes Spain’s competing S-80 design from further consideration.
Project 75 is India’s flagship conventional submarine acquisition program designed to revitalize the Navy’s undersea arm through phased induction of modern platforms. The first phase, Project 75, saw the licensed construction of six French-designed Scorpène-class submarines at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), with the final boat commissioned in 2023. The follow-on initiative, designated Project 75(I), aims to acquire six more advanced submarines with Air-Independent Propulsion, improved endurance, and greater strike capabilities. By selecting the German Type 214, India moves into the second and more ambitious phase of the program, which emphasizes not only fleet renewal but also deep technology transfer, industrial participation, and the gradual indigenization of submarine design and production under the “Make in India” policy.
The Type 214 is an export-oriented evolution of the German Type 212, optimized for long-endurance patrols and blue-water operations. Displacing around 1,800 tons, the submarine is equipped with an advanced fuel-cell-based AIP system that enables it to remain submerged for up to three weeks without surfacing, a decisive advantage over conventional diesel-electric designs. Its armament includes heavyweight torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, while the platform also allows integration of modern sensors and combat management systems for multi-domain missions. With a crew of just over 30, the Type 214 is designed for both stealth and efficiency, offering low acoustic signatures that make it difficult to detect in contested waters.
The German Type 214 and the Spanish S-80 differ significantly in design philosophy. The S-80, developed by Navantia, is a larger platform displacing around 3,000 tons, nearly double the Type 214’s size, and is designed with extended range to support long overseas deployments, including potential transatlantic operations. It features a bioethanol-based AIP system that provides respectable submerged endurance, but unlike the German fuel-cell system, it has faced repeated developmental challenges and delays before reaching operational readiness. The Type 214, by contrast, benefits from a proven record of service with multiple navies, including Greece, South Korea, and Turkey, offering India a tested, lower-risk option. While the S-80 offers greater payload capacity and endurance on paper, the Type 214’s maturity, stealth performance, and established support infrastructure were decisive factors in New Delhi’s choice.
In South Asia, the arrival of the Type 214 will place the Indian Navy in direct technological competition with Pakistan’s Yuan-class submarines, which were built in cooperation with China. While the Yuan-class is larger, displacing about 3,600 tons, and also features AIP capability, its performance has yet to be tested under the same operational conditions as the German design. The Type 214 benefits from decades of German engineering in submarine stealth, propulsion, and noise reduction, while the Yuan-class relies heavily on Chinese adaptations of Russian and German technologies. For India, operating a proven and export-tested system offers reliability and interoperability, whereas Pakistan’s Yuan-class emphasizes numbers and cost-efficiency. The result is a regional undersea balance that pits quality against quantity.
This contract also reflects India’s broader approach to armament procurement under the “Make in India” framework. Beyond acquiring advanced foreign systems, New Delhi insists on deep technology transfer, domestic production, and long-term sustainment through its own industrial base. The deal with TKMS therefore goes beyond acquiring six submarines; it establishes a knowledge pipeline that strengthens MDL’s shipbuilding expertise, reduces reliance on foreign suppliers, and creates the groundwork for future indigenous submarine designs. This strategy mirrors other major programs such as the Tejas fighter jet, the Arjun tank, and the ongoing artillery modernization efforts, where foreign technology is absorbed to stimulate local capability growth.
India’s decision to accelerate undersea warfare modernization is driven by its evolving maritime strategy. The Indian Ocean has become a central theater of competition, with China steadily expanding its naval presence through bases, port access agreements, and submarine patrols, while Pakistan modernizes its fleet to counter Indian dominance in the Arabian Sea. By expanding its submarine force with both conventional AIP-equipped boats and domestically designed nuclear-powered attack submarines, India seeks to establish a layered maritime deterrent capable of protecting sea lines of communication, countering Chinese deployments, and ensuring a credible second-strike capability. This move fits within India’s long-term vision of transitioning from a coastal defense navy to a full-spectrum regional naval power with global reach.
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