Rajnath Singh commissions second Scorpene-class submarine INS Khanderi in Mumbai

Image Courtesy: Twitter/@indiannavy

New Delhi: In a major boost to Navy's underwater combat capabilities, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commission the second Kalvari class submarine INS Khanderi in Mumbai on Saturday.

INS Khanderi was handed over to the Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai on September 19. The state-of-the-art features of this Scorpene class submarine include superior stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons. 

The first submarine of the Scorpene class is INS Kalvari which was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 14, 2017.

Weather Gods join #IndianNavy to welcome #INSKhanderi in their fold. https://t.co/RlGzM6Vwy2 pic.twitter.com/tO2CvONIsk — SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) September 28, 2019

Designed by French company Naval Group (earlier known as DCNS), Khanderi has been named after the wide-snouted Sawfish, a deadly predator of the Indian Ocean, and will become the 17th submarine of the Indian Navy after it is commissioned. Manned by a crew of eight officers and 35 sailors, Khanderi can stay out in the sea for 50 days.

INS Khanderi displaces 1,615 tonnes on surface and 1,775 tonnes when submerged. The 67.5 metres long INS Khanderi is powered by four MTU 12V 396 SE84 diesel engines and 360 battery cells and can remain on patrol for 50 days at a stretch at a depth of 350m. The submarine will have eight officers and 35 sailors. It will be armed with 18 SUT torpedoes which can be fired from six tubes, sea-skimming Exocet anti-ship missiles. It can also carry 30 anti-ship mines in place of torpedoes.

Apart from their primary role as an attack submarine, INS Khanderi and INS Kalvari along with their sister ships can also carry out reconnaissance (intelligence gathering as well as area surveillance/spying) missions and also lay anti-ship mines to target the enemy.