INS Vela commissioned into Indian Navy on November 25 – Know Key features, significance

INS Vela was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 25, 2021, by Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The fourth of six Stealth Scorpene-class Submarines INS Vela got commissioned amid increased Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean region. Commissioning of INS Vela comes after the commissioning of an indigenously designed stealth-guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam on November 21, 2021.

INS Vela, the fourth Scorpene-class submarine, commissioned into the Indian Navy, in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, at the naval dockyard in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/7sfdO8t1FI

— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2021

Fourth Scorpene-class Submarine INS Vela - Significance

INS Vela is the fourth of six Stealth Scorpene-class Submarines of Project 75 that will give a big boost to India’s maritime power and capabilities in tackling maritime threats amid the growing presence of China in the India Ocean region. The commissioning of INS Vela comes at a time when the Indian Navy is working to become a 170-ship force against the backdrop of China’s increasing naval presence in the Indian Ocean region

The Indian Navy in its statement described the INS Vela submarine as “capable of offensive operations that span the entire spectrum of maritime warfare." The Scorpene-class (also known as Kalvari class) diesel-electric submarines built under Project 75 for the Indian Navy can undertake multifarious tasks typically undertaken by any modern submarine which include anti-surface as well as anti-submarine warfare.

Kalvari-class submarine INS Vela has been built in India which affirms the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The Commanding Officer of INS Vela Captain Anish Mathew told ANI that INS Vela has an indigenous set of batteries and an advanced communication suite of indigenous origin. The submarine takes the concept of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ further.

Fourth Scorpene-class Submarine INS Vela – Key Points

INS Vela is the fourth of the six Stealth Scorpene Class submarines of Project 75. INS Vela was launched on May 6, 2019 and delivered to the Indian Navy on November 9, 2021. Three of these Scorpene Class submarines have been commissioned in the Indian Navy.

INS Vela submarine has been constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France. The submarine was towed to Mumbai Port Trust, for separation from the pontoon.

INS Vela has completed all major harbor and sea trials including sensor and weapon trials despite the COVID pandemic. INS Vela submarine has been slotted to join the Submarine fleet of the Western Naval Command.

INS Vela submarine is equipped with C303 anti-torpedo countermeasure system. It can carry upto 18 torpedoes or Exocet anti-ship missiles or 30 mines in place of torpedoes.

INS Vela measures 67.5 metres in length and 12.3 metres in height. The beam of the submarine is 6.2 metres. INS Vela can reach upto a top speed of 20 knots when underwater and a speed of 11 knots when above water.

INS Vela draws power to run from four MTU 12V 396 SE84 diesel engines and 360 battery cells. The submarine has a silent Permanently Magnetized Propulsion Motor. The Hydroplanes, Fin, and Hull of the submarine INS Vela have been designed for minimum underwater resistance. All equipment inside the pressure hull is mounted on shock-absorbing cradles for enhanced stealth.

As a Scorpene-class diesel-electric powered attack submarine, INS is capable of engaging in offensive operations of naval warfare including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, mine laying, area surveillance, and intelligence gathering.

The previous version of INS Vela was commissioned on August 31, 1973 and it was decommissioned on June 25, 2010 after serving for 37 eventful years. The new version of INS Vela has been termed as a potent man o’ war.

Previous Scorpene-class Submarines commissioned into Indian Navy

INS Kalvari: Launched in October 2015 and commissioned into Indian Navy in December 2017.

INS Khanderi: Launched in January 2017 and commissioned into Indian Navy in September 2019.

INS Karanj: Launched in January 2018 and commissioned into Indian Navy in March 2021.