Mumbai: The Indian Navy launched its third Scorpene class submarine on Tuesday. The submarine which was constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, has been named ‘Karanj’. The old Karanj had served the nation for 34 years from 1969 to 2003 and also seen action in the 1971 war.
Last year , on 14 December, INS Kalvari, the first Scorpene class submarine was commissioned into the Navy by the Prime Minister. Khanderi, the second Scorpene class submarine was launched in January 2017, and is currently undergoing the rigorous phase of sea trials and is also scheduled to be delivered shortly.
Reena Lanba, President Navy Wives Welfare Association, presided over the ceremony that began with the recitation of Sanskrit shlokas from the Atharva Veda and other traditional ceremonies associated with the launch of naval platforms.
Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff, was the chief guest on the occasion. Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, FOC-in-C, Western Naval Command and Vice Admiral D. M. Deshpande, Controller Warship Production & Acquisition (CWP&A), Rear Admiral Guillame de Garidel, Head of Asia Pacific, DGA France and other senior officers and dignitaries from MoD, MDL and the state government were also present during the ceremony.
After the completion of traditional rituals, the submarine was towed to the Mumbai Port Trust, for separation from the pontoon. Karanj will now undergo rigorous trials and tests, both in harbour and at sea, before it is commissioned into the Navy.
The contract for the construction and Transfer-of-Technology for six Scorpene submarines in series, has M/s Naval Group (formerly DCNS) of France as collaborator and they are being built by MDL.
