The strength of India’s navy may become even more dangerous in the future. Russia has offered India its deadly Kalibr-PL (3M-14E Club-S) submarine launched cruise missile, whose range is believed to be about 1500 kilometers. If India approves this offer, then Indian submarines can destroy the enemy’s deep military bases within minutes by staying underwater. This is the same capability which defense experts call silent strike power, which means the enemy will not even know and the attack will have taken place.

Why is Kalibr-PL so dangerous?

Kalibr-PL missile is launched from submarines hidden under water. After its launch, the missile dodges the radar by flying at low altitude and finally attacks the target very fast. Its capability makes it included in the list of the world’s most dangerous submarine-launched strike missiles.

Its Features:

• Hit Distance: About 1500 KM.
• Launch Platform: 533 mm Torpedo Tube – meaning it can be launched from India’s existing Kilo-class and Scorpene submarines without major changes.
• Precise Attack: GPS and advanced navigation systems.
• Ability to evade radar: Cheats radar by flying at low altitude.
• Capable of destroying targets like enemy airbases, command centers, ports, weapon depots and power grids.

Why is this offer important for India?

This proposal of Russia has come at a time when India is busy in further modernizing its naval capability. The Indian Navy’s Kilo-class and Scorpene-class submarines are already equipped with short range versions of the Club-S, but the addition of Kalibr-PL will increase this capability manifold.

After this, the Indian Navy can hit Pakistan’s military bases from the Arabian Sea, target China’s strategic bases from Andaman-Nicobar, and create a major strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific.

When will India’s indigenous missile arrive?

India is also developing its own Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM), but this missile of DRDO will be fully operational only after 4-6 years. For this reason, experts are calling Kalibr-PL a ‘bridge capability’, that is, as long as India’s own missile is ready, this system can play a big role.

What hinders the MTCR rules?

India is a member of MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime), hence transfer of missiles with range more than 300 KM is possible and for this reason the 1500 KM version has been offered for India.

So will India buy it?

The final decision is still pending, but this offer has come at a time when the Project-75I submarine program is progressing, the existing Kilo-class submarines will be retired after 2030, and India is becoming a major maritime power in the Indo-Pacific. Therefore, according to military experts, India is looking at this proposal seriously.

To increase the strength of the Indian Navy, the Majhgaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) has started a conversation on the submarine project-75 (I). The conversation was possible after the approval of the central government on August 23, when the Ministry of Defense and MDL were allowed to start negotiations on the construction of six modern submarines in collaboration with Germany under the ‘Project 75 India’ scheme of Rs 70,000 crore.

The Ministry opened MDL’s bid for this project on January 16, 2025. After the completion of this project, India’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean region will be stronger. The government company Majgaon Docyard Limited has emerged as the major contender in the multi-dollar submarine deal with its technical colleague German company Thesencroup Marine Systems (TKMS). The Ministry of Defense selected the proposal of MDL and TKMS in January, under which six submarines would be equipped with modern technology like Air Independent Propulsion System.

What did CEO of Theseenkroup Marine Systems say?

The CEO of TheSencroup Marine Systems (TKMS) said in an interview to the Economic Times that the company has been chosen as a technical partner of Indian companies for the Project-75 (I) submarine project. According to him, this partnership will create an ecosystem that will make India competitive in the global market in the coming years.

This is the target of the Ministry of Defense and the Indian Navy

The target of the Ministry of Defense and the Indian Navy is to get the final approval by completing the contract negotiations in the next six months. Along with this, India is also stepping towards the construction of two nuclear attackers submarines, in which Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and submarine construction center will play an important role.

Experts believe that this initiative is a big jump towards India to develop Navy Modernization, Made in India program and indigenous technical capacity. For Germany, it is a symbol of cooperation in Asia’s largest traditional submarine programs. After the recent high-level dialogue, TKMS, MDL and Indian representatives pledged to strengthen mutual cooperation in the defense sector and give a new height to the naval industry of India. TKMS aims to transfer important information related to submarine design to India, while MDL assimilates these techniques and gain the ability to develop indigenous submarines in the future.

Project-75 (I): What is special?

• It is a major military acquisition project of the Ministry of Defense (MOD).
• Under this, diesel-electrical attacker submarines will be purchased for the Indian Navy.
• These submarines will be equipped with fuel cell and air independent propulsion system (AIP).
• The purpose of the project is not only to increase the naval power of India, but also to develop indigenous submarine manufacturing capacity.
• This project is the sequel to Project-75, in which design and technology will be further improved.

Also read-

Special Cell Interrogated Isis Terrorists: Gajwa leader Ashrar was leading the operation against India, know where weapons were purchased