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Project-76 is a flagship indigenous defence initiative under which India aims to design and develop its first fully indigenous conventional diesel-electric attack submarine. The project reflects India’s growing emphasis on self-reliance in defence manufacturing and strengthening undersea warfare capabilities.

What is Project-76?

• Project-76 is being conceptualised by the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy.
• It envisages the construction of 12 conventional submarines in the long term.
• These submarines will be diesel-electric attack submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems.
• Expected submerged displacement: around 3,000 tonnes, placing them in a higher capability class than earlier foreign-designed submarines.

Key Technological Features

• Air Independent Propulsion (AIP): Enhances underwater endurance and stealth by reducing the need to surface frequently.
• Indigenous Weapon Control System: Reduces dependence on foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
• Lithium-ion batteries: Improve energy density, endurance, and operational efficiency compared to traditional lead-acid batteries.
• Incorporation of design learnings from:
  • Project-75 (French Scorpène-class submarines)
  • Project-751 (India) (German–Spanish design lineage)

Strategic Significance

• Project-76 is intended to replace and succeed the Sindhughosh (Kilo) class submarines, which form a major part of India’s current conventional submarine fleet.
• It will help the Indian Navy maintain a robust 3,000-ton-class submarine force, critical for:
  • Sea denial operations
  • Protection of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs)
  • Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region
• The project marks a shift from licensed production to indigenous design ownership.

Role of DRDO

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has received approval from the Ministry of Defence to undertake a preliminary design study for Project-76.
• This study will define:
  • Technical contours
  • Feasibility and timelines
  • Cost and capability parameters
• The study is expected to take about one year, after which a proposal will be submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for formal project sanction.
• Project-76 builds upon experience gained from the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme, under which the Arihant-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) were developed, and ongoing work on nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs).