New Delhi, November 01: To strengthen its capabilities of carrying out special underwater operations in high seas and enemy harbours, the Indian Navy is planning to procure five midget submarines for the Marine Commandos (MARCOS).
Submarines weighing less than 150 tonnes are classified as midgets and are used by the Navies to carry out underwater covert operations and surveillance missions.
The Navy has already initiated the process of procuring these vessels and recently issued a Request for Proposal to Indian shipyards including Hindustan Shipyards Limited, ABG and Pipavav shipyards, Defence Ministry sources said to a news agency here.
Initially, Navy is planning to get only five of these vessels but the inductions can be doubled later on.
The induction of these midgets is part of the Navy’s efforts to strengthen its operational capabilities after the 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai last year, sources said.
With capacity of carrying four to six personnel on board, the submarines would have a diving depth of around 400 metres, they added.
-Agencies