France has said that it would deliver to India the first of the six Scorpene submarines next year, local media reported Sunday.

"The first submarine would be ready by 2014, heralding an important and strategic tie-up between both the nations on the defense front," 'The Times of India' newspaper quoted French Ambassador Francois Richier as saying Saturday.

The rest five submarines are to be delivered every year, the report said.

The submarines were ordered by the Indian Navy as part of technology transfer from France under a multi-billion dollar deal.

"It is a full transfer of technology, something we don't do with everybody. Defense component of India-French relations is very important to us," the French envoy said.

Scorpne class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack boats.

India chose the Scorpne design in 2005, ordering six for three billion US dollars. But, the deal was put on hold by India for some time following allegations of corruption involving one of the then director-in-charge of Scorpene submarine project being undertaken at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai.