India commissions fourth Kalvari sub
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Vela, its fourth Kalvari-class submarine, in a ceremony in Mumbai on 25 November. (Indian Navy)
The Indian Navy’s submarine-building programme has now reached the two-thirds point, with a fourth boat commissioned.
On 25 November, the Indian Navy (IN) commissioned its fourth of sixth Scorpene submarines, INS Vela. The move follows close on the heels of the commissioning of the first-of-class Visakhapatnam-class destroyer four days earlier.
Part of the Kalvari class, this 1,615t submarine built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), with assistance from the French OEM Naval Group, was launched on 6 May 2019. After completing sea trials, it was delivered to the IN on 9 November.
The 67.56m-long INS Vela is the second to join the navy this year, after INS Karanj was inducted at Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard
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