Panel on cost soon to firm up sub project

Army chief goes on France visit to bolster ties

- MAYANK SINGH AND JAYANTH JACOB @ New Delhi

FORMATION of a cost negotiation committee is under way to speed up the Indian Navy's Project 75 (India) project under which submarines will be built in alignment with the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

The CNC to be firmed up soon will include officials from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Navy and Defence Finance in addition to representatives of Mazagon Dockyard Limited (MDL) that will lead the project under strategic partnership (SP) with Germany's TKMS (ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems), said sources.

"Once the project is firmed up, MDL and Germany must adhere to the objectives of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. TKMS will need to meet 100% of the commercial and technical requirements, including transfer of technology and Indian content," an MoD source said. "This area will be closely scrutinised to ensure that actual design knowledge is transferred to India after the delivery of the first submarine, allowing India to freely use this technology as needed," the source added.

"A contract will be signed between the MoD and MDL. Further, there will be a contract between MDL and TKMS. Work share and responsibilities will be finalised under the contracts," another source said.