Indian Navy Commissions Fourth Kalvari-class Submarine

The Indian Navy on Thursday commissioned INS Vela, the fourth P75 Kalvari-class submarine built by India's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) based on the Naval Group's Scorpene design.

INS Vela is the second Kalvari-class submarine to be commissioned in 2021. Launched on 6 May 2019, INS Vela successfully completed all major sea trials including weapon and sensor trials, despite Covid restrictions, and was delivered to the Indian Navy on 9 November 2021. It joins INS Kalvari, Khanderi and Karanj which were commissioned respectively in December 2017, September 2019 and March 2021.

This submarine has been completely built by MDL taking advantage of the successful technology transfer from Naval Group during the construction and trials of the first three boats. Six submarines of the P75 program have been fitted with a number of equipment, built in India by qualified and highly trained industrial Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which form the sound base of submarine building ecosystem of India.

The Scorpene is a 2000 tons conventional-propulsion submarine designed for all types of mission, such as surface vessel warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations or intelligence gathering. Stealthy and fast, it has a level of operating automation that allows a limited number of crew, which reduces its operating costs significantly. Its combat edge is highlighted by the fact that it has 6 weapon launching tubes, 18 weapons (torpedoes, missiles, mines).