The Indian Navy further bolstered its capability when the fourth Scorpene submarine, INS Vela under Project – 75, Yard 11878 was delivered to the Indian Navy on Tuesday.
Under Project – 75, the construction of six submarines was approved for Scorpene design, and the submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with Naval Group, France.
At present, three Scorpene-class submarines, INS Kalvari, Khanderi, and Karanj are delivered to the Navy and commissioned.
The latest ship has been named ‘Vela’, and it has completed all major harbour and sea trials including weapon and sensor trials despite COVID restrictions.
Submarines are force multiplier weapons platforms and can be used as the first or second strike attack in situations of war. With the growing threat of China in the Indian Ocean Region, submarines play a vital role in national security because they act as a deterrence.
The construction of these submarines in an Indian yard is also an important step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
A press release statement said, The `Acceptance Document’ was signed by Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad, Chairman, and Managing Director MDL, and Rear Admiral K P Arvindan, Chief Staff Officer (Tech), Western Naval Command in the presence of MDL Directors and Navy personnel at MDL’.
INS `Vagir’ the fifth submarine under Project-75 was launched on November 12, 2020, and has started her harbour trials, MDL said and it will be tested for its maiden surface sortie in December.
The sixth submarine is presently in the advanced stage of outfitting, the press statement added.
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