Navy gets sub INS Khanderi, stealth frigate INS Nilgiri

DEFENCE Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday commissioned India’s second Scorpene-class submarine INS Khanderi and launched INS Nilgiri, the first ship of the P-17A frigates, in two separate events here. On the commissioning of INS Khanderi, he said, “It is a matter of immense pride that India is one of the few countries which can build its own submarines.” While at the launch of INS Nigriri, Singh said that India today is also among countries that build their own aircraft carriers and stealth frigates. “I’m told that to build a frigate, 4000 people get direct employment and 20000 indirect employment,” he added and congratulated the Navy and Western Naval Command on the induction of these potent combatants. INS Khanderi is an indigenously-built second Kalvari class diesel-electric submarine. Four more are going to be commissioned in the coming years.

The first, INS Kalvari, was commissioned in December 2017, officials said. “Khanderi is built at the state-run Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) and underwent rigorous sea trials for over two and a half years. The concerns of the Navy have been addressed,” a Western Naval Command official said. The diesel-electric submarine has state-of-the-art technology that reduces noise under the sea. It has the capability of firing six torpedoes and the maximum speed is 20 nautical miles per hour, which is a world standard for most of attack-type submarines, the official said. Khanderi requires a crew of 36, against a previous requirement of 60. This saves on oxygen and allows it to stay under water for longer periods, he said. “In one go, the submarine can spend 45 days at sea.

The submarine needs to surface to reduce the carbon dioxide level inside it and charge batteries every two days, he said. MDL and French company Naval Group (earlier known as DCNS) are jointly building the submarines after a contract was signed in 2005. The Scorpene or Kalvari class submarines are: ‘Kalvari’, ‘Khanderi’, ‘Karanj’, ‘Vela’, ‘Vagir’ and ‘Vagsheer’. Singh at the launch event of Nilgiri said, “India is a large country and has vast maritime potential.

We have around 7500 kilometers of the coastal area. A small disruption can damage our large interest that’s the reason why we are giving so much importance to the Indian Navy.” He also added that the launch of the stealth frigate was a significant step towards achieving majority defence production in the country. The stealth frigate, Nilgiri, is made with the co-ordination of Mazagon Dockyard Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers with the Indian Navy, DRDO, and other public and private partners. The launch of the first ship of Project 17A marks another significant milestone in the annals of the indigenous warship design and construction program of India.