Explained: Indigenously-built INS Kavaratti all set to be commissioned into Indian Navy

New Delhi, Oct 22: Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane is all set to commission anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship INS Kavaratti into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam today.

Ahead of the ship's commissioning, Indian Navy, in a statement, said the warship portrays the growing capability of the force.

According to reports, it is the last of four indigenously-built ASW under 'Project 28' or Kamorta-class corvettes of the Navy. It's a class of ASWs currently in service with the Navy.

The other three warships under this project are INS Kamorta (commissioned in 2014), INS Kadmatt (2016) and INS Kiltan (2017).

It is reportedly said that INS Kavaratti has up to 90 per cent indigenous content. The use of carbon composites to build it has been described as a 'commendable feat achieved in Indian shipbuilding.'

This warship has been designed by the Navy's in-house organisation, the Directorate of Naval Design (DND). Kolkata's Garden Research Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), meanwhile, has built it.

This warship also has a state-of-the-art weapons and a sensor that can detect and take action against hostile submarines. It also has a good endurance for long-range deployments.

INS Kavaratti derives its name from the eponymous INS Kavaratti, which was an Arnala class missile corvette. The older INS Kavaratti operated during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.

It is noteworthy that the ship will be commissioned into the Navy as a combat-ready platform as the ship has completed sea trials of all the systems fitted onboard.

It is a praiseworthy achievement in itself, taking into consideration the restrictions imposed due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic during which she was delivered to the Navy. With the induction of Kavaratti into its fold, the Indian Navy's preparedness will be enhanced.