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Navy’s worry: Dwindling submarine fleet New Delhi, February 26 India had a fleet of 15 submarines, which reduced to 14 after the INS Sindhurakshak sunk. The vessel is yet to be salvaged. Today’s accident involving the INS Sindhuratna will mean the vessel remains out of service for a few months and needs extensive checks before it will sail again. It could take a few months. The US Department of Defence, in its annual report to the US Congress, spells out the rise of China’s submarine fleet. ‘Military and Security Developments involving the People’s Republic of China 2013’ says the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has 55 submarines, four times more than India. “China continues the production of JIN-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). The JIN-class SSBN will carry the new JL-2 submarine launched ballistic missile with an estimated range of more than 4,000 nm”, it said. The US document also warns that China has expanded its force of nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN). Two SHANG-class SSNs (Type 093) are already in service, and China is building four improved variants of the SHANG-class SSN, which will replace the aging HAN-class SSNs (Type 091). In the next decade, China is likely to construct the Type 095 guided-missile attack submarine (SSGN), which may enable a submarine-based land-attack capability. India, on the other hand, is in single digits. At the start of 2013 it had a total of 15 submarines, including the nuclear powered INS Chakra one leased from Russia. The six Scorpene submarines being built at Mazagon Docks Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai with the help of French company DCNS are running behind schedule. The first one will not be delivered before 2016. There has been no decision on building the next six submarines, a follow order to the Scorpene. There has been no decision to seek global partners, so far.Growing might of China
* The US Department of Defence, in its annual report to the US Congress, spells out the rise of China’s submarine
fleet * The report says the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has 55 submarines, four times more than India. The latest accident has brought down Indian battle-ready under-sea fleet to
13 * The six Scorpene submarines being built at Mazagon Docks Ltd, Mumbai, with the help of a French company, are running behind
schedule.
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