THE Indian Navy will commission the fifth scorpene-class submarine Vagir on January 23, officials said on Thursday.

The commissioning of the submarine, built under the Project-75, is set to bolster the Navy’s combat capability at a time when China has been increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean region.

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar will grace the induction ceremony as the Chief Guest.

India has been working on bolstering its maritime capability with a focus on the Indian Ocean against the backdrop of concerns over China’s growing forays into the region, considered the backyard of the Navy.