The first of the Indian Navy‘s six Scorpene-class submarines, INS Kalvari, has been commissioned into service during a ceremony that was held at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that ‘INS Kalvari will add even more strength to the Indian Navy’ and described the submarine as an example of the country’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
In a statement, Modi said: “India is fully alert with regard to its global, strategic and economic interests in the Indian Ocean.”
He added: “that is why the modern and multi-dimensional Indian Navy plays a leading role in promoting peace and stability in the region.”
INS Kalvari is the first Indian Navy ship to have been developed using a modular approach of construction, which was carried out by local shipbuilder Mazagon Dock.
MDL is currently constructing the Scorpene-class submarines with technology transferred from French shipbuilder Naval Group (formerly known as DCNS).
The Indian Navy originally performed the first steel cutting on the vessel on 14 December 2006.
The submarine was launched and christened on 27 October 2015.
INS Kalvari previously successfully launched a torpedo and carried out the Indian Navy’s first SM 39 Exocet combat missile firing on 2 March.
The newest vessel was delivered to the navy on 21 September following the completion of its sea trials, which began in May last year.
INS Kalvari features a length of 67.5m and a height of approximately 12.3m.
It is noted to be capable of undertaking a wide variety of offensive operations being conducted across the entire spectrum of maritime warfare.
