India's Second Scorpene-class Sub INS Khanderi To Be Inducted By May

India’s second scorpene-class submarine, INS Khanderi will be inducted into service by early May, according to a defense source.

“Khanderi has completed all trials and is in the final stages of acceptance. It is expected to be commissioned into the Navy by end April or early May,” the defence source was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

French-origin Scorpene submarines being built in India have been named as the Kalvari class. The first submarine, INS Kalvari was inducted into service earlier this month. INS Karanj, the third Scorpene-class sub is in advanced stage of trials and could be ready for induction by year end.

Another source stated that the fourth submarine INS Vela is ready to be launched into water for trials around the same time depending on the ocean tide.

The last two submarines INS Vagir and INS Vagsheer are in advanced stages of manufacturing on the assembly line. The fifth submarine is in the final stages of being booted together. The ‘Boot Together’ is where the five separate sections are welded together to form the submarine.

The Navy currently operates 4 German HDW-class submarines and 9 Russian Kilo-class submarines. It had last inducted a conventional diesel-electric submarine, INS Sindhushastra, procured from Russia in July 2000.

The contract for the licensed production of six Scorpene-class submarines for $3.75 billion was signed in October 2005 under Project 75. The entire project is expected to be completed by 2020.

Recently, India also approved the acquisition of more than 100 heavyweight torpedoes to be equipped on six Scorpene-class submarines.