INS Khanderi submarine commissioned into Indian Navy

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 28, 2019 commissioned the INS Khanderi, the second indigenously built Scorpene class submarine, into the Indian Navy in the presence of Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh. This diesel-electric submarine possesses superior stealth and major combat capabilities. While commissioning INS Khanderi, Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated Indian Navy’s capabilities in ensuring peace and stability in Indian coastal regions. He further said that Indian Navy is ready to take strict action against those who try to disturb peace in the country. On the same occasion, the Defence Minister inducted P-17 Shivalik-class frigate Nilgiri and the aircraft carrier drydock into the Indian Navy.

INS Khanderi is fully automated and has been built at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai. The submarine’s induction into Indian Navy comes after it successfully cleared all the rigorous sea trials and tests in over last two and a half years. This state-of-the-art submarine has been built with such a technology that reduces its noise when it is under the sea. It can roll-in a crew of 36 members.

INS Khanderi’s connection with the fish ‘Kanneri’

The INS Khanderi is an attack submarine. Its name and features are inspired by the fish named ‘Kanneri’, found in Arabian Sea. The fish hunts for its prey while swimming around the bottom of the sea using the barbells. Once it captures it prey, Kanneri fish uses its long saw to kill and cut the prey into pieces before eating it. On the similar lines, INS Khanderi comprises superior class stealth technologies to attack the enemies at sea as and when required. It comprises set of missiles and torpedoes along with a sonar suite that helps the submarine to detect the enemies from a long distance and classify its targets.

Motto of INS Khanderi

The motto of INS Khanderi is ‘Akhand Abhedya Adrishya‘ that implies unity of the crew and its stealth capabilities.

Key Features of INS Khanderi

– The INS Khanderi construction began  in April 2009. It was first built into five separate segments which were later welded together.

– INS Khanderi is 67.5 metres long and 12.3 metres tall.

– Its hull form, fin and hydroplanes have been designed to enable minimum underwater resistance.

– The submarine’s Permanently Magnetised Propulsion Motor is powered by 360 battery cells. Each battery cell weighs 750 kg.

– It is capable of saving oxygen availability and can stay underwater for long periods.

Project 75

The Submarine has been built under the Project 75 programme. India aims to build a total of 6  Scorpene-class submarines in collaboration with France’s Transfer of Technology from Naval Group under the Project 75 at a cost of around Rs 25,000 crore. The first Scorpene-class submarine was INS Kalvari that was commissioned into Indian Navy in December 2017.