Navy to commission two warships, a submarine

The Indian Navy is set to commission a submarine and two warships into service in Mumbai on January 15, with the new platforms boosting its operational capabilities and combat readiness in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a strategic maritime expanse where the challenges include China's carefully calculated power play for influence and defending the rules-based international order, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

- Rahul Singh

NEW DELHI:

The platforms that will enter service include Vagsheer, the sixth and final Kalvari-class submarine; Surat, a destroyer; and Nilgiri, a frigate -- all built at the Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), the officials said, asking not to be named. It is rare for three major platforms to be commissioned on the same day. Vagsheer has been built under a ₹23,562-crore programme called Project 75.

The navy currently operates five such submarines. These Kalvari-class (Scorpene) diesel-electric attack submarines have been constructed at MDL with technology transfer from the French firm Naval Group. The boats are capable of various missions such as anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations, and intelligence.