Navigating Strategic Waters: Ufa’s Kochi Visit and India-Russia Submarine Cooperations

The Ufa’s docking in Kochi comes just weeks after Russia’s Rubin Design Bureau expressed willingness to rejoin the race for the tender of Project 75I. Although historically, India has relied heavily on Russian weapons, the 2022 special military operation in Ukraine has prompted New Delhi to reevaluate its dependence on Russian weapons. The acquisition of Mi-17 V5, Ka-226T, and Ka-31 helicopters, and the planned upgrade of the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI aircraft are some of the deals that were called off. The visit of the Ufa symbolises the strong ties between Delhi and Moscow while also being a testament to New Delhi’s notion of strategic autonomy.

On October 21^st 2024, a diesel-electric attack submarine and a rescue tug belonging to the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet docked in Kochi. The submarine, Ufa, belongs to the Varshavyanka class (NATO designation: Improved Kilo-class). The docking can be analysed from the perspective of India-Russia defence partnership vis-à-vis submarine development being the primary rationale.

As of October 2024, the Indian Navy submarine fleet consists of nineteen submarines, with seventeen conventionally powered attack submarines of the Sindhughosh, Shishumar and Kalvari classes and two nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) of the Arihant class. The Indian Navy is back in the market for procuring six conventionally powered attack submarines under Project 75(India) to replace the Sindhughosh class submarines, a derived version of the Russian Varshavyanka class submarines. An Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP), land attack capability, and vertical missile launch feature to accommodate the BrahMos series missiles have been floated as the requirements in the tender.

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Russia’s Rubin Design Bureau is offering joint development on the Amur class submarines (Amur 1650) for Project 75I, locking horns with German manufacturer TKMS’ U-214 class submarines.

Russia and India share a longstanding defence partnership which dates back to the Cold War era. Today, almost seventy per cent of the military hardware used by the Indian armed forces is either Russian-made or of Russian origin. India-Russia cooperation in submarine acquisition and development can be traced back to the commissioning of the first Project 641 (Foxtrot-class) submarines developed for the Indian Navy and the lead submarine for the Indian Navy’s Kalvari class, INS Kalvari, in 1967.

The Ufa’s docking in Kochi comes just weeks after Russia’s Rubin Design Bureau expressed willingness to rejoin the race for the tender of Project 75I. The Rubin Design Bureau is the mastermind of some of Russia’s flagship submarines, namely the Akula class and the Lada class (the modernised version of the Kilo-class). It is to be noted that the Rubin Design Bureau is offering joint development on the Amur class submarines (Amur 1650) for Project 75I; the Amur is the export-oriented version of the Lada class. The Rubin Design Bureau’s Amur class will lock horns with German manufacturer TKMS’ U-214 class submarines. With the German manufacturer’s Son won-il class raising reliability and stealth concerns, the visit of the Ufa, and meetings scheduled with the Indian Army Southern Naval Command look to put Russia’s Rubin Design Bureau back in the driving seat for the tender of Project 75I.

The Russian military-industrial complex’s shift of focus to resupplying its forces in Ukraine has raised questions about the operational readiness and its ability to meet export demands.

Given the current geopolitical scenario and Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, the visit raises pertinent questions on Moscow’s ability to fulfil its defence commitments to Delhi should it get the Project 75I tender. Although historically, India has relied heavily on Russian weapons, the 2022 special military operation in Ukraine has prompted New Delhi to reevaluate its dependence on Russian weapons. The Russian military-industrial complex’s shift of focus to resupplying its forces in Ukraine has raised questions about the operational readiness and ability to meet export demands. Following the commencement of the special military operation, several defence deals have been called off. The acquisition of Mi-17 V5, Ka-226T, and Ka-31 helicopters, and the planned upgrade of the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI aircraft are some of the deals that were called off. The inking of an MoU between the French Naval Group and Mazagon Docks Limited for the development of three additional Scorpene class submarines, and New Delhi pushing for self-reliance in submarine development under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Make In India” projects (as seen in the development of the indigenous SSN and SSBN) have further muddied the waters for the Rubin Design Bureau to acquire the Project 75I tender. 

As New Delhi navigates the muddied waters surrounding the Project 75I tender, it will be a pivotal moment in Indo-Russian defence cooperation and India’s quest to be self-reliant. While the visit of the Ufa symbolises the strong ties between Delhi and Moscow, it is also a testament to New Delhi’s notion of strategic autonomy.

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