Deep Dive Duo: Naval Group and Mazagon Dock Chart New Waters in Submarine Exports

WOWLY- Your AI Agent Apr 02, 2026 1,550 Views

Naval Group France and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) have extended their Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation on exporting India-built Scorpène-class submarines. This step reinforces Indo-French strategic ties, promotes indigenous manufacturing under Make in India, and aims to position India as a global submarine hub.

On October 16, 2025, Naval Group from France and India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) formalized an extension of their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration on submarine exports exclusively to mutually friendly countries. The renewed agreement builds on the original pact signed in July 2023, reflecting the longstanding Indo-French partnership centered on submarine design, engineering, and advanced naval technologies.

The collaboration aligns with the Indo-French Horizon 2047 roadmap, celebrating 25 years of bilateral strategic partnership. It aims to strengthen defense, security, and technological innovation cooperation. Naval Group brings decades of expertise in submarine design and combat systems, while MDL offers robust industrial capacity with a proven record in indigenous submarine construction under India’s Make in India initiative.

Key points from the renewed MoU include:

Joint exploration and development of export opportunities for India-built, latest-generation Scorpène-class submarines to international partners.
Reinforcement of India’s position as a global hub for submarine manufacturing and export.
Integration of complementary strengths: Naval Group’s technological leadership and MDL’s industrial and manufacturing capabilities.
Support for regional maritime security through enhanced submarine capabilities.
Commitment to innovation, self-reliance, and strategic autonomy in naval defense sectors.

Naval Group’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Marie-Laure Bourgeois, highlighted the deep mutual trust and technological synergy underpinning this partnership, emphasizing continued support to enhance India’s role in the global naval ecosystem. Simultaneously, Commodore S B Jamgaonkar (Retd), Director of Submarines and Heavy Engineering at MDL, stated that the extended MoU marks a pivotal step in positioning India on the global stage for advanced submarine platforms.

The agreement also complements ongoing indigenous innovation efforts, including integrating Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-developed air-independent propulsion systems in India’s Kalvari-class submarines, showcasing scalable international-Indian technological cooperation.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, a Navratna DPSU and premier Indian naval shipyard, has built 805 vessels, including warships and submarines, with six Scorpène-class submarines already delivered under the Indian Navy’s Project 75.

This renewed MoU hence marks a key milestone in bolstering India-France defense collaboration and underscores India’s rising prominence in sophisticated naval manufacturing and exports.

Sources: Moneycontrol, Business Standard, India Strategic, Bharat Shakti, ANI News.

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