India's first Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari commissioned into Navy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday dedicated to the nation, the naval submarine INS Kalvari in Mumbai.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and top defence officials were present at the commissioning ceremony.

On the occasion, Modi said Kalvari is an excellent example of 'Make in India' and will boost the Navy's might. Kalvari is named after the dreaded tiger shark, a deadly deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean.

It underwent around 120 days of extensive sea trials and tests for various equipment, an official earlier said, adding the vessel is expected to bolster India's maritime prowess.

INS Kalvari is a diesel-electric attack submarine that has been built for the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.

It is being built under the Rs 23,652 crore Project-75 at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai, is significant because the Navy currently has just 13 ageing diesel-electric submarines, with just half of them operational at any given time.

The force needs at least 18 conventional submarines. The second one INS Khanderi is slated for delivery by December.

The first Kalvari, commissioned on December 8, 1967, was also the first submarine of the Indian Navy. It was decommissioned on May 31, 1996 after nearly three decades of service.

OneIndia News