Submarine information can be protected

The Submarine Institute of Australia says Australian submarine programs have always been managed under stringent security requirements

Australia's peak body for submarines says it's confident Defence can properly protect highly sensitive submarine information.

Submarine Institute of Australia executive director David Nicholls said Australian submarine programs have always been managed under stringent security requirements which protected all information and technical data.

Mr Nicholls said the leak of sensitive information about India's DCNS-designed Scorpene submarines was a serious matter.

But SIA had confidence in the Defence Department to manage sensitive information about Australian submarines.

"They have been operated successfully for decades during the procurement, build and operational profile of the Oberon and Collins classes of submarines and there is no reason to believe the situation will be different for the Future Submarines," he said in a statement.

The Australian newspaper reported on Wednesday details of a leak of more than 20,000 documents detailing secret capabilities of India's new submarines.

DCNS is designing Australia's 12 new subs. The government says these are completely different to the Indian submarines.