France’s big decision before Modi-Macron meeting: Withdraws from submarine project for Navy, P-75 refuses to join India project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on Europe tour. During his Europe tour, he will also visit France, where he will also meet the newly elected President Emmanuel Macron for the second time. But before his visit to France, the major arms company Naval Group has given a big blow to India. The company has announced that it will not participate in the Rs 43 thousand crore P-75 India project in India.

According to Naval Group, one of the five international companies, India cannot meet the conditions of the Proposal for Request (RFP) so the company is unable to participate in the project.

43 thousand crores project
According to the report of a news website, this project is worth Rs 43 thousand crore, which is the biggest project under the new strategic partnership model. Under this project, submarines were to be built in India in collaboration with international companies and technology was to be transferred to the Indian company. Five international companies were shortlisted for this project, Naval Group being one of them. Therefore, the Government of India is looking for a partner company under the International Original Equipment Manufacturer (IOEM) to manufacture submarines and transfer technology.

What is P-75 Project
This is the second project to build P-75I submarines in India. India had a deal with France on this project in 2005, then the naval group was then called DCNS. Since 2005, 5 of the 6 submarines have already been inducted into the Navy. The construction of the sixth submarine began last month in March-April. It was to be commissioned in India by the end of 2023.

Why did the French company withdraw?
According to the news website, the Naval Group has expressed its inability to ‘see-proven’ AIP fuel cells’ capability to withdraw from this bid, but as per information received from IOEM, it is willing to share its expertise with Indian partners. and are not comfortable about sharing technology.

Laurent Vaidyu, head and managing director of French company Naval Group India, issued a statement on Saturday (30 April 2022). In which he said that the proposal for request requires that the fuel cell AIP is proven to work at sea, which is not the case for us yet, because the French Navy does not use it.

According to Laurent Vaidyu, the Naval Group said that the group has always been ready to offer the best and a unique technology for the P-75I project of the Indian Navy.