Indian Sonar and Torpedo developments

DAC clears proposals, worth about Rs 79,000 crore, to enhance the capability of the Armed Forces

Posted On: 23 OCT 2025 3:54PM by PIB Delhi

For the Indian Navy, AoN was granted for the procurement of Landing Platform Docks (LPD), 30mm Naval Surface Gun (NSG), Advanced Light Weight Torpedoes (ALWT), Electro Optical Infra-Red Search and Track System and Smart Ammunition for 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount. The procurement of LPDs will help the Indian Navy to undertake amphibious operations along with Indian Army and Indian Air Force. The integrated sea capability provided by LPD will also help the Indian Navy to undertake peacekeeping operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief etc. The induction of ALWT, which is indigenously developed by Naval Science & Technological Laboratory, DRDO is capable of targeting conventional, nuclear and midget submarines. The procurement of 30mm NSG will enhance the capability of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard to conduct Low Intensity Maritime Operations & anti-piracy roles.
How does it compare to Mk54?
 
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MoD inks Rs 4,666 crore contracts for Close Quarter Battle Carbine & Heavy Weight Torpedoes


Heavy Weight Torpedoes

The contract for the procurement and integration of 48 Heavy Weight Torpedoes along with associated equipment for Kalvari Class Submarines (P-75) of the Indian Navy at an approximate cost of Rs 1,896 crore was signed with WASS Submarine Systems S.R.L., Italy. The acquisition will enhance the combat capability of the six Kalvari Class submarines. The delivery of torpedoes will commence from April 2028 and will be completed by early 2030.

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These torpedoes have significant operational capabilities and advanced technological features. The acquisition underscores the Government’s commitment to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Navy through the induction of niche technologies and advanced capabilities weapons.
 

MoD inks Rs 4,666 crore contracts for Close Quarter Battle Carbine & Heavy Weight Torpedoes


Heavy Weight Torpedoes

The contract for the procurement and integration of 48 Heavy Weight Torpedoes along with associated equipment for Kalvari Class Submarines (P-75) of the Indian Navy at an approximate cost of Rs 1,896 crore was signed with WASS Submarine Systems S.R.L., Italy. The acquisition will enhance the combat capability of the six Kalvari Class submarines. The delivery of torpedoes will commence from April 2028 and will be completed by early 2030.

image002FT25.jpg


These torpedoes have significant operational capabilities and advanced technological features. The acquisition underscores the Government’s commitment to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Navy through the induction of niche technologies and advanced capabilities weapons.

An epic procurement saga comes to an end.

But will this HWT also equip incoming Type 214NGs? Unlikely.

Standardizing on the German DM2A4 family for Kalvari, U209 and U214 SSK classes would've been a better bet, imo.
 
Black Shark And ITALY make a Comeback in Indian Defence Purchases

Thanks to PM MELONI 🤣

It was proper tender that they won against the french.

An epic procurement saga comes to an end.

But will this HWT also equip incoming Type 214NGs? Unlikely.

Standardizing on the German DM2A4 family for Kalvari, U209 and U214 SSK classes would've been a better bet, imo.
Hopefully by then our DRDO EHWT will be mature.
 
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An epic procurement saga comes to an end.

But will this HWT also equip incoming Type 214NGs? Unlikely.

Standardizing on the German DM2A4 family for Kalvari, U209 and U214 SSK classes would've been a better bet, imo.

I think Black Shark is an Interim purchase of Heavy Torpedoes

Indigenous Varunastra HWT is both slower and Has lesser range as compared to Black Shark

Varunastra will get better in coming years
It was proper tender that they won against the french.


Hopefully by then our EHWT will be mature.

Italian Govt has been Lobbying for Removing the ban on them for quite some time now

Westland Helicopters deal messed up everything
 
I think Black Shark is an Interim purchase of Heavy Torpedoes
IIRC, the overall requirement is for around 200 units via license production.

Varunastra variants will likely start replacing ageing Russian torpedoes like 53-65KE, TEST 71ME to begin with.

SUT have just gone through an upgrade with Atlas Elektronik iirc.
 
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IIRC, the overall requirement is for around 200 units via license production.

Varunastra variants will likely start replacing ageing Russian torpedoes like 53-65KE, TEST 71ME to begin with.

SUT have just gone through an upgrade with Atlas Elektronik iirc.
Total requirement was of around 144 torpedoes for P-75 class. If 48 are coming from WASS then we can assume rest will be our own EHWT.
 
Total requirement was of around 144 torpedoes for P-75 class. If 48 are coming from WASS then we can assume rest will be our own EHWT.
Unlikely. Those kind of numbers are for total requirement of the submarine arm not just for 6 submarine.

A decade back, tender was for 98. They probably split it between import and Indian. Like almost all procurement these days.
 

Scorpenes with Black Sharks, Arihant class with Takshak


The Indian Navy’s decade-long wait for modern heavyweight torpedoes ended on December 30th with the defence ministry signing a Rs 1,800 crore deal for heavyweight torpedoes.

India will acquire 48 Black Shark Torpedoes from Italian torpedo maker WASS for Rs 1,800 crores. Deliveries will begin in April 2028 and conclude by early 2030.

WASS was to earlier supply the Indian Navy with 98 heavyweight torpedoes under a 2012 deal, which was scrapped after its parent company, Finmeccanica (now Leonardo) was blacklisted by India’s defence ministry. The number has been cut down to 48 torpedoes.

The 2012 contract was to be split equally between two classes of submarines— 48 torpedoes for the six Scorpene class submarines and 50 for the four Arihant class SSBNs.

The navy’s thinking now appears to go in for a small quantity of imported torpedoes and focus on inducting the Takshak as the long-term solution. The Black Sharks will arm the Scorpenes and the Arihant class SSBNs with the DRDO’s under-development Takshak heavyweight torpedo. The Takshak is being developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratories (NSTL) in Vishakhapatnam. The fibre-optic wire-guided torpedo is being produced by Bharat Dynamics Ltd and is set to undergo sea trials shortly. Takshak is the advanced version of the Varunastra

The Indian Navy has had a long and torturous attempt to acquire torpedoes for its Scorpene-class submarines.

In September 6, 2005, the Navy signed a deal for six Scorpene diesel-electric submarines with French shipbuilder Armaris (now Naval Group). On September 7, 2005, the Navy issued an RFP for 98 torpedoes were to be procured at a cost of around Rs 870 crores. Two firms, Germany’s Atlas Elektronic (now ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems) with the Sea Hake Mod 4 torpedo and the Italian Finmeccanica (now Leonardo) with the Black Shark, were shortlisted. Financial bids were submitted on November 7, 2008. The Black Shark torpedo beat out the German competitor on cost. It charged Rs 1,500 crore for 98 torpedoes and promised to transfer technology and defence offsets worth XX crore in the Indian industry. Field evaluation trials Cost negotiations with WAAS were completed in 2012, and were waiting for final approval from the CCS.

In 2013, the reports of the corruption in a deal to procure 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland for Rs 3,600 crore, emerged. The chopper deal was scrapped in 2014. The Finmeccanica group was blacklisted by India’s Defence Ministry. The Black Shark torpedo deal, which was finalised, was the direct casualty of the blacklisting.

In 2017, the Indian Navy began inducting the Scorpenes without new torpedoes. The first unit, INS Kalvari, was inducted on December 14, 2017, equipped with the older SUT torpedoes (which had been inducted with the Type 209 submarines in 1982). The Navy scouted for alternatives like ThyssenKrupp’s Sea Hake Mod 4 and Naval Group’s F-21 torpedo, but none of these projects materialised. On November 12, 2021, India finally lifted the ban on Finmeccanica, now Leonardo. Leonardo / WASS Black Shark beat out Naval Group’s F21 torpedo in the fresh procurement process. On February 16, 2024, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the case.