Indian Navy looking to acquire indigenously-made underwater chariots: Report

New Delhi: The Indian Navy is reportedly mulling to acquire domestically manufactured swimmer delivery vehicles, also known as underwater chariots and midget submarines, in a bid to modernise and bolster the capabilities of its Marine Commandos (MARCOS)—a special force of the Navy modelled on the US Navy Seals.

The Indian Express newspaper, quoting defence sources, said these chariots will be powered by lithium-ion batteries. It will be able to carry a crew of six members.

It is understood that they have currently ordered prototypes, and after proper testing, they will acquire a few dozen.

According to reports, the navy is in consultation with the manufacturers to design a prototype as per their expectations.

These so-called chariots are used by almost all advanced navies in the world. These are self-propelled vehicles which can be launched from ships or submarines, depending on their size and the roles they are to perform.

Notably, a similar type of manned human torpedoes was used during World War II.

These are deployed for a range of missions, including shallow-water surveillance, attacking the adversary’s coastal installations, and even their ships in harbour.

The chariots aid the marine commands in accessing the adversary’s harbour in close proximity, a feat otherwise difficult for submarines due to shallow waters. Also, it helps in the transportation of weapons and equipment to areas of operations.

It is unclear what type of swimmer delivery vehicles the Indian Navy uses, but the Indian Express quoting sources reported that the Indian forces used Italian-made chariots for several years now.

Around 2012, the Ministry of Defence had asked Hindustan Shipyard Limited to build two of these submarines.

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