Defence minister Rajnath Singh took the first-hand experience of India's underwater capabilities. 70- year-old Singh aboard Kalveri (also known as Scropene) class submarine INS Khanderi and spent over three hours under the Arabian sea. The defence minister is on his two-day visit to Karwar naval, which will be Asia's largest naval base by 2025.
INS Kadamba at Karwar is being developed under Project Seabird, on over 11,000 acres will be the Indian Navy's largest naval base on the west coast and also the largest naval base east of the Suez Canal. Once completed INS Kadamba will host over 30 warships and submarines. The home base of India's only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Karwar base will also be the base for INS Vikrant, an indigenous aircraft carrier.
"Had a wonderful and thrilling experience during my sea sortie of INS Khanderi. Spent hours under the sea and witnessed the combat capabilities and offensive strength of the state-of-the-art Kalvari class submarine," Rajnath Singh said after his three-hour-long underwater sortie. He added that after having the firsthand insight into the underwater capabilities of the Indian Navy he is more assured of India’s security. "The Indian Navy is a modern, potent and credible force which can remain vigilant, valiant and victorious in every situation," he said while adding that the preparations being made by the Indian navy are not a provocation to any aggression but a guarantee of peace and security in the region. With this, the defence minister has now witnessed first-hand the three-dimensional combat capability of the Indian Navy, after having embarked on INS Vikramaditya in September 2019 and conducted a sortie on the P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft earlier this month.
INS Khanderi, the second submarine under the Indian navy's Project 75, constructed at Mazagon Docks Limited, was commissioned by the minister in September 2019.
Naval officials claim that the Scorpene submarines are extremely potent platforms. They have advanced stealth features and are equipped with both long-range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles. These submarines have a state-of-the-art SONAR and sensor suite permitting outstanding operational capabilities.
In 2006, an agreement was signed to build six Scorpene-class submarines in India between the French firm Naval Group, formerly known as DCNS, and Mazgaon Dock Limited under the Indian Navy’s $3.75 billion Project-75. The first submarine was scheduled to be delivered by 2012, but the project witnessed repeated delays. The first Scorpene (Kalveri) was commissioned in December 2017 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The submarine is part of the Navy’s Project 75, and the first submarine under this project was commissioned into the Navy in December 2017. At present, the Navy has four submarines from this project–INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj and INS Vela. While the fifth submarine Vagir’ launched in November 2020, is undergoing sea trials and is expected to join the navy's fleet by the end of this year. The sixth and the last submarine of Kalveri class Vagsheer was launched last month.
Naval sources claim that the Karwar naval will be able to support several major warships and submarines and yard crafts. Specialised dockyard repair and maintenance facilities covered dry berths for ships and submarines, and new technologically advanced security and communication systems are being planned. And, the Naval Air Station with its multiple runways and hangers is being expanded to cater to civil flight operations.
