French naval major Naval Group and India's state-owned shipyard, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), extended their agreement to jointly build and export advanced submarines to other allied nations. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), renewed on October 16, 2025, solidifies India’s position as an emerging global hub for sophisticated maritime defence manufacturing.
This partnership adds to the Centre's Atmanirbhar Bharat push and "Make in India" initiatives. The submarines set for export are the latest generation of the renowned Scorpène-class, six of which have already been successfully built by MDL in Mumbai for the Indian Navy under the P75 program (known as the Kalvari-class).
The best of both worlds
The agreement leverages the unique strengths of both partners: Naval Group's world-class expertise in submarine design and combat systems, and MDL’s proven industrial capacity to build these complex underwater vessels.
Speaking on the partnership, Marie-Laure Bourgeois, Executive Vice President at Naval Group, stated, "This continued partnership reflects the mutual trust and technological synergy built over years of cooperation. We remain committed to supporting MDL in enhancing India’s role in the global naval ecosystem."
Commodore S B Jamgaonkar (Retd), Director of Submarines at MDL, chimed in, "The extension of this MoU is a significant step forward in positioning India as a global hub for submarine manufacturing and export. Together with Naval Group, we aim to harness our industrial capabilities to deliver advanced and reliable platforms for partner nations."
This collaboration adds to the broader Indo-French Horizon 2047 initiative, which aims to deepen strategic cooperation between the two nations in defence and security over the next two decades.