SCORPENE SUBMARINES

Project 75: 

• Six Scorpene class submarines are being built under Project 75. 
  
  
• The submarines are designed by French naval defence and energy group DCNS and manufactured by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), Mumbai under a 2005 contract worth $3.75 billion. 
  
  
• Status of submarines: 
  • INS Kalvari: It was commissioned in December 2017 by PM Narendra Modi. 
    
    
  • INS Khanderi: It was launched in January 2017, is currently undergoing series of trials and is expected to be commissioned by May 2019. 
    
    
  • INS Karanj: It was launched on 31^st January 2018. 
    
    
  • Vela, Vagir and Vagsheer: The remaining three submarines are in the series are in advanced stages of manufacturing and trials. 
    
    
  • The entire project is expected to be completed by 2020. 
    
    
  
  
  
• Significance: 
  • Scorpene submarines can undertake various types of missions i.e Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance etc. 
    
    
  • The Scorpene class is the Navy’s first modern conventional diesel-electric submarine series in almost two decades, since INS Sindhushastra was procured from Russia in July 2000. 
    
    
  • The project was required because of the declining number of submarines in the Indian Navy and to replace the older Sindhughosh (Kilo) and Shishumar (U209) class of submarines.