The Indian Ministry of Defence has awarded Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) a substantial contract worth ₹1,990 crore. The manufacture and integration of an Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Plug for submarines is the main objective of this contract, which was signed on December 30, 2024. It is anticipated that this will increase the endurance of the Indian Navy’s conventional submarines.
AIP-Plug construction and integration are part of the project. An indigenously built Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system will be integrated into the Indian Navy’s Scorpene-class submarines to improve their operating capabilities. The ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, which aims to achieve self-reliance in defensive technologies, is in line with this initiative.
When compared to the present operational limit of a few days due to reliance on diesel engines that require air oxygen, the AIP system is intended to greatly extend the underwater endurance of conventional submarines, enabling them to stay submerged for up to 14 days. This technique was developed by DRDO with assistance from industry partners Thermax and L&T.
The AIP system, created by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), makes use of fuel cell technology, which produces energy by reacting hydrogen and oxygen chemically. This improves stealth capabilities and lessens detection vulnerability by enabling submarines to operate underwater without regularly emerging.
This project is a component of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) program, which is a larger effort by India to improve its domestic defense capabilities. An estimated three lakh man-days of employment are expected to result from it.
In addition to a separate arrangement with the French company Naval Group for the integration of Electronic Heavy Weight Torpedoes (EHWT) into Kalvari-class submarines, the contract is part of a wider package of agreements totaling ₹2,867 crore. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is working on the AIP technology, which will greatly increase the submarine fleet’s firepower and endurance.
