Germany to pursue $5.2-billion deal with India to build 6 submarines

Tags: Defence International News

Germanywill sign a $5.2 billion deal to jointly build six conventional submarines with India during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to India on February 25-26.

An overview of the news

• The naval project is the latest attempt by the Western military manufacturing power to end India's dependence on Russia for military hardware.

• India is looking to replace 11 of its 16 conventional submarines that are more than two decades old, as it seeks to counter China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean.

• The Indian Navy also has two indigenous nuclear-powered submarines.

• Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is one of the two international bidders for the submarine project Berlin will back the deal.

• Under the deal, a foreign submarine maker will have to partner with an Indian company to build submarines in India.