India's submarine fleet to get booster dose early next year

After last week's test of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile from the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant, India's underwater combat arm is set to get a major boost early next year with the induction of another nuclear and two diesel-electric conventional submarines.

- Rajat Pandit

INS Sindhuratna, on which two officers died in an accident in 2014, is slated to return to Mumbai after undergoing a protracted "medium refit-cum-life extension" upgrade at Severodvinsk in Russia in February.

INS Sindhuratna is the second of the four old Russian Kilo-class submarines earmarked to undergo the modernization upgrade, each costing around Rs 1,400 crore, to stem the depletion in the conventional fleet.

The Navy will also commission the fifth of the six new French-origin Kalvariclass Scorpene submarines being built at Mazagon Docks under the over Rs 23,000-crore 'Project-75', with the last one following in 2024. The two will be commissioned as INS Vagir and INS Vagsheer.

With advanced stealth features, the Scorpenes are equipped with both long-range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles as well as advanced sonars and sensor suites.