Defence Minister A.K. Antony told the Rajya Sabha that there could be a delay in the delivery of Scorpene submarines to the Navy, due to “some teething problems, time taken in absorption of technology and delays in augmentation of industrial infrastructure and procurement of Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) purchased materials.”

As per the initial schedule, a total of 6 submarines were to be inducted by December 2017, beginning from December 2012, to be followed by one submarine each year thereafter. The Scorpene project was sanctioned in October 2005 with an estimated budget of Rs. 18,798 crore, under a technology transfer agreement with the French company Armaris.1

• 1. Government of India, Ministry of Defence, ‘Indigenous technology for Arjun tank and Tejas Aircraft’, Press Release, December 2, 2009