India Launches Kalvari-class Submarine INS Vaghsheer
INS Vagsheer is the sixth submarine of the first batch of six Kalvari-class attack submarines for the Indian Navy. Vagsheer was one of three vessels commissioned into the Indian Navy on 15 January. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned Vaghsheer along with the advanced destroyer INS Surat and frigate INS Nilgiri in a ceremony at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The Prime Minister highlighted that it was the “first time that the tri-commissioning of a destroyer, frigate, and submarine was being done”.
On 20 April 2022, the Defence Secretary of India, Dr. Ajay Kumar, launched the final submarine of the six-vessel P75 Scorpene series (Vagsheer). It was constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). The six submarines are fitted with equipment built in India by qualified and highly trained industrial Micro, Small, and Medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The INS Vaghsheer’s sea trials began on 18 May 2023. The trials tested the boat’s propulsion systems, weapons, and sensors. On 9 January 2025, INS Vaghsheer was delivered to the Indian Navy.
INS Vagsheer is a diesel-electric attack submarine. It is the sixth and final submarine in the Kalvari-class (Project 75), which is based on the export derivative of the French Scorpène-class. The Vagsheer is a versatile submarine designed for multiple missions, including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, area surveillance, and special operations. It is equipped with advanced wire-guided torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and state-of-the-art sonar systems.
Vagsheer has a crew complement of eight officers and 35 men. It is 67.5 meters long and 12.3 meters tall, with a beam measuring 6.2 meters. Its surface speed is up to 11 knots (20 km/h) and submerged speed is up to 20 knots (37 km/h). It has four MTU 12V 396 SE84 diesel engines, 360 battery cells for power, and a silent Permanently Magnetised Propulsion Motor. The submarine has a maximum diving depth of 350 meters (1,150 ft) and can stay at sea for 50 days. It can carry advanced weaponry, including the SM-39 Exocet submarine-launched anti-ship missile, capable of striking surface targets up to 70 kilometers away. It also features heavyweight wire-guided torpedoes, such as the Black Shark, effective against both ships and submarines.
Header image: Launch of INS Vaghsheer in 20 April 2022 (Via PIB)