Scorpene-class submarine Kalvari likely to be commissioned by Nov-Dec

Mumbai: The first Scorpene-class submarine Kalvari is expected to be commissioned by November-December, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra said on Tuesday. 

The Scorpene-class submarine was handed over to the Indian Navy four days back by the Mazgaon Dock Limited, one of the key shipbuilding units of the Indian Navy.

"The Kalvari submarine has already been in the sea for sometime. Some 110 days of sea trials have been completed and more pre-commissioning sea trials are going on. We are expecting it to be commissioned by November-December this year," Vice Admiral Luthra said.

The submarines, designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited here as part of Project-75 of the Indian Navy.

"The Indian Navy is keen on increasing indigenous components in shipbuilding activity. We have also increased the indigenous components in submarines as well. The components' share needs to be increased in weapons and sensors," Vice Admiral Luthra said.

He was speaking here at the commissioning of Indian Navy's ship Tarasa at the Naval dockyard here.

The Western Naval Command today commissioned INS Tarasa, which is a 400-tonne ship.

It was a much-needed addition in the Navy's fleet, Luthra said.