INS Khanderi, Second Scorpene Class Submarine Launched in Mumbai

INS Khanderi, India’s second French-designed Scorpene-class diesel-electric attack submarine was launched in Mumbai on January 12, 2017 at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).

• The Submarine was launched by Bina Bhamre, wife of the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Defence, Subhash Bhamre in the presence of Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba.

Scorpene-Class Submarine

The Scorpene-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed by the French Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN) and the Spanish company Navantia, which is now DCNS. It features diesel propulsion and additional air-independent propulsion (AIP).

• In 2005, the Indian Navy ordered six Scorpène-class for USD 3 billion to be built in India, at Mazagon Dock .
• At the moment, the Navy operates only 13 conventionally powered submarines and two nuclear submarines.

About INS Khanderi

Khanderi is the second among the six submarines being built at MDL in collaboration with M/s DCNS of France, as part of Project 75 of Indian Navy. Under Project 75 would acquire 6 next generation diesel submarines with Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP) technology for the Indian Navy by 2022.

• The first one is Kalvari which is currently completing sea trials. According to defense officials, Kalvari will soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy. It was acquired by the Navy in September 2016. The other four submarines are expected to be launched at nine-month intervals after the Khanderi.
• Khanderi will undergo rigorous trials and tests both at harbour and at sea till December 2017 and it will then be commissioned in the Indian Navy as INS Khanderi. The Khanderi is named after an Island fort of the Maratha forces which played a vital role in ensuring their supremacy at sea in the late 17th century.
• The submarine can operate in all theatres, including the tropics and can undertake diverse types of missions including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance and others.
• The Khanderi has superior stealth features and can launch a destroying attack on the enemy with torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles while it is under water or on surface. The stealth features give the vessel an invulnerability that is unmatched by many submarines.
• The assembling of the submarine was a complex task that involved putting together different sections and laying kilometres of cabling and piping in extremely congested compartments.

About Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL)

Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) is India’s prime shipyard that manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy and offshore platforms and associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling, builds tankers, cargo bulk carriers, passenger ships and ferries.

• The shipyards of MDL were established in the 18th century as a small dry dock facility for the East India Company. Eventually, ‘Mazagon Dock Limited’ was registered as a public company in 1934. The shipyard was nationalised in 1960 and is now a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India.
• The construction of six Scorpene submarines is at present in progress at Mazagon Dock Shipyard Ltd (MDL), under Project 75 with Transfer of Technology from DCNS of France as the collaborator.  Project 75 Kalvari is a key milestone in self reliance and indigenisation for the country.
• India is among a few countries in the world which produce conventional submarines. Its submarine arm completes 50 years on December 8, 2017.