New Delhi:The Indian Navy on Wednesday got its third Scorpene class submarine INS Karanj which was commissioned at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai through a formal commissioning ceremony.
Six Scorpene Class submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with Naval Group, France.
INS Karanj would form part of the Western Naval Command’s Submarine fleet and would be another potent part of the Command’s arsenal.
Admiral VS Shekhawat (Retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff, who was part of the commissioning crew of the old Karanj and later the Commanding officer during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, was the Chief Guest for the ceremony.
At the commissioning ceremony, the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh said “This impetus to indigenisation and AatmaNirbharBharat is a fundamental tenet of Indian Navy’s growth story and future operational capabilities”.
Crew of the erstwhile ‘Karanj’, a Russian origin Foxtrot Class Submarine which was decommissioned in 2003 were also special invitees for the ceremony.
Admiral Shekhawat also highlighted India’s push towards AatmaNirbharta by saying “we live in an India launching numerous satellites, building nuclear submarines, manufacturing vaccines for the worlds - the new Karanj is another example of it”.
The Scorpene Submarines are one of the most advanced conventional submarines in the world. These platforms are equipped with the latest technologies in the world. More deadly and stealthier than their predecessors, these submarines are equipped with potent weapons and sensors to neutralise any threat above or below the sea surface.
The induction of Karanj is another step towards the Government’s Make In India initiatives by the state owned Mazagaon Dock Ship Builders Limited under the p P-75 of ndian Navy which also reflects the capabilities as a premier ship and submarine building yard of the world.
This year is being celebrated as the ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ which marks 50 years of 1971 Indo – Pak war. Old INS Karanj, commissioned on September 4, 1969 at Riga in the erstwhile USSR, also took active part in the conflict under the Command of then Cdr VS Shekhawat.
In recognition of the valiant action of her o?cers and crew, a number of personnel were decorated, including award of Vir Chakra to the then Commanding Officer Cdr VS Shekhawat.
(UNI)
