Pakistan adds naval power

Even as India dithers in even finalizing its new submarine programme called ``Project-75 India'', Pakistan has moved swiftly to seal a deal with China to acquire six advanced submarines equipped with crucial air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems. Conventional diesel-electric submarines have to surface or snorkel every few days to get oxygen to recharge their batteries. But those fitted with AIP can stay submerged for much longer periods to significantly boost their stealth and combat capabilities, somewhat narrowing the gap with nuclear-powered submarines which of course can operate underwater for virtually unlimited periods. While India is still years away from getting an AIP equipped submarine, Pakistan already has one in the shape of PNS Hamza, one of the three French Agosta-90B submarines inducted by it over the last decade. Moreover, work is also underway to retrofit the French ``Mesma'' AIP in hulls of the other two submarines, PNS Khalid and PNS Saad. The six new-generation submarines from China, the improved Yuan-class boats with ``Stirling-cycle'' AIP, will further add a punch to Pakistan's underwater warfare capabilities. India, in sharp contrast, has so far refused to consider the Mesma AIP option in the ongoing Rs 23,562-crore project (P-75) to build six French Scorpene submarines at Mazagon Docks (MDL), already running three years behind schedule with the boats now slated to roll out from 2015 to 2020. `There has also been a huge cost escalation. To incorporate the steam-based Mesma AIP in the 5th and 6th Scorpenes would cost another $100 million or so,'' said a senior defence ministry official. `Moreover, Navy is more keen on fuel-cell AIP. DRDO is developing one such system, which has been tested on shore. If it comes through, it can be considered for the 5th and 6th Scorpenes,'' he added.