INS Khanderi submarine to be commissioned on September 28

State-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, India’s biggest warship builder, will deliver INS Khanderi, the second of the six Scorpene Class submarines it is building for the Indian Navy, in the next few days.

The fully-automated submarine will be commissioned into the Indian Navy on September 28 at the Naval Dockyard by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The first submarine named INS Kalvari was commissioned into the Indian Navy last September. The third submarine named INS Karanj is currently undergoing sea trials and the fourth is getting ready to be launched. The balance two submarines are at various stages of outfitting. The last of the submarines will be delivered by 2022.

Mazagon Dock is building the submarines under a transfer of technology agreement with the Naval Group of France.

Steel used in constructing the submarines was supplied by State-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL). “Delivering submarines adds much more punch than any other platform to the Indian Navy. It is a very potent weapon and makes a huge difference in the geo-strategic balance,” said a government official.

Rajnath Singh will also inaugurate an aircraft carrier dry dock at the Naval Dockyard on September 28.