India denies reports by Reuters on the cancellation of a plan to make an additional order of three Scorpene class submarines to French naval contractor DCNS.
“India has ordered only six Scorpene submarines and no orders have been placed for three more as reported by some media. Therefore, the question of cancellation does not arise," an Indian Ministry of Defense spokesperson said.
On Saturday, Reuters reported that India had shelved plan to give French naval contractor DCNS a proposed order for three new submarines following the leak of secret data about Scorpene class submarines.
“The Indian Navy receives many unsolicited proposals from companies (both Indian & foreign) for many projects as per requirements of the service. This cannot by any stretch of imagination be construed as negotiations,” says official from Ministry of Defense.
Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is pitching its HDW-class 214 submarines. But, the DCNS data leak has made a strong case for another Indian-Russian collaborative venture for the construction of six new nuclear attack submarines as India is interested in the lease of a second Akula class submarine (after the INS Chakra).
The $8.5 bln Project-75I for manufacturing six new nuclear attack submarines is much anticipated among Indian industries. The project has been delayed for some time, but the tender likely to be issued by the end of this year. This will be one of the first projects awarded to the Indian private sector to build submarines with foreign collaboration under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Meanwhile, various sources in the Indian government told to Sputnik that the ongoing Scorpene class submarine project would not be affected in the wake of the data leaks.
