India has built a credible nuclear submarine capability, but its conventional submarine fleet is ageing, its numbers are falling short, and its next major acquisition is still years away. With 17 diesel-electric submarines in service, only six of them considered contemporary, how did India's submarine programme lose decades, and can the long-delayed Project 75(I) bridge the capability gap with Pakistan and China?

On Episode 62 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som discuss the state of India's conventional submarine fleet, the delays that have held back modernisation, and the critical decisions that will shape the future of underwater warfare.

Episode 62
Watch now: https://youtu.be/ct7gvhuz7JI

India's conventional submarine fleet: Why 17 boats do not tell the full story
The Scorpene programme: Delays, missing capabilities, torpedo integration and the proposed DRDO-developed AIP retrofit
Pakistan's Hangor-class submarines: How air-independent propulsion could change the underwater balance
Project 75(I): The proposed ₹1 lakh crore deal for six advanced submarines with TKMS and Mazagon Dock
Two lost decades, a lost quarter-century: How delays and idle production lines weakened India's submarine-building capacity
The Kilo and HDW legacy: Why upgrades cannot replace ageing submarine hulls
India's indigenous sonar capabilities: Where domestic defence technology has made significant progress
Why India can build nuclear submarines and advanced warships, but still struggles to develop its own conventional submarine design

From the collapse of submarine-building momentum to the long road ahead for Project 75(I), this episode examines the decisions, delays and capability gaps shaping India's underwater warfare preparedness. Can India rebuild its conventional submarine fleet before the next generation of threats arrives?