Ball In India’s Court On Submarine Deal, Says German Envoy Ahead Of Chancellor Visit

A day ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's crucial visit to India, Ambassador Philipp Ackermann says Berlin would be engaging more with New Delhi under the Indo-Pacific framework.

Germany’s TKMS and Spain’s Navantia are looking to grab the $5 billion submarine deal with the Indian Navy under the Project 75 (India), or P-75(I), programme. Representational image.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: A day ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit, Berlin has said it is now up to India to take the final call on whether it will procure submarines made by German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). It is expected that the deal will be pushed by the Chancellor, whose visit will focus on enhancing defence ties with India, with a German frigate also set to visit Goa during the time as part of Germany’s Indo-Pacific deployment.

“I think it is clearly up to the Indian government to take a decision… The German government has made it very clear that we are very supportive and would be ready to engage formally in this deal,” said Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador of Germany to India, responding to a question by ABP Live. “But a principle decision has to be taken before entering any negotiations.”

Germany’s TKMS and Spain’s Navantia are looking to grab the $5 billion submarine deal with the Indian Navy under the Project 75 (India), or P-75(I), programme. Under this project, six new submarines will be built for the Navy, which intends to replace its 11 diesel-electric powered submarines that were inducted in the 1990s.

In June 2021, the Defence Ministry had floated a proposal to build six next-generation submarines for the Navy with modern AIP technology that will enable the watercraft to remain underwater for a longer period.

While TKMS has tied up with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) to bid for the project, Navantia has joined hands with Larsen & Toubro (L&T).

Spain will also push for the submarine deal when the Spanish president visits Delhi from October 27-29.

‘Special Status’

Ackermann said while Chancellor Scholz will be accompanied by the German defence minister, he was not aware if the latter will have a meeting with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.

“This is an Indian decision that has to be taken here, and it is a very heavy decision because a lot of money is involved and, therefore, we have made our interest also very clear to the Indian government,” he added. “Now we are waiting patiently and confidently to get in.”

Ackermann said Germany has now “accorded a special status to India”.

The envoy also said that the German Chancellor will be visiting Goa as the country’s naval frigate ‘Baden-Wuerttemberg’ and combat support ship ‘Frankfurt am Main’ make a scheduled port call as part of Germany’s Indo-Pacific deployment.