MDL delivers second Scorpene submarine to navy

Mumbai, Sep 19 (IANS) Marking a milestone, the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) on Thursday delivered the second Scorpene class submarine 'Khanderi' of the Project 75 to the Indian Navy, an official said.

MDL Chairman and Managing Director Rakesh Anand, and Rear Admiral B. Sivakumar and other top officials of MDL and Indian Navy were present at the ceremony.

Now, the Khanderi - named after the wide-snouted sawfish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean - will soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy for normal operations.

The Scorpene class of submarines can take up multifarious tasks including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare typical of any modern submarine.

The third of the Scorpenes, currently under construction at MDL, was launched January 31, 2018 and is undergoing rigorous sea trials, while the fourth one, Vela, launched in May 2019, is being readied for sea trials.

The remaining two - Vagir and Vagsheer - are in various stages of outfitting at the MDL, said the official.

Earlier, two SSK submarines - built by MDL in 1992 and 1994 - are still in service after over 25 years, while the MDL has utilized it expertise in submarine refits-cum-upgradation of all the four SSK Class submarines of Indian Navy.

The first submarine, 'INS Khanderi' was commissioned on December 6, 1968 and decommissioned in October 1989 after over 20 years service. As per nautical traditions, it will be now reincarnated in the form of the new 'Khanderi' handed over Thursday to Indian Navy to safeguard India's vast maritime interests.