MUMBAI: The third indigenously-built Scorpene-Class Submarine Karanj will be commissioned into the Indian Navy tentatively on March 10 after she completes sea trials for almost two years since being launched at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (“MDL”) on January 31, 2018. MDL has handed over the submarine to the Indian Navy on Monday.

The submarine is the third out of the six submarines that will add teeth to the Indian Navy. Initially, the submarine was supposed to be commissioned into the Indian Navy by mid of 2019 but got delayed.

An official said after 10 years and five months, the submarine INS Karanj will be commissioned into the Navy. The pressure hull fabrication of the submarine began in October 2010. The pressure hull is the primary structural element of the submarine and is designed to be able to withstand the external hydrostatic pressure. It is designed for a particular collapse depth, at which complete failure is expected within a very narrow range. The collapse depth is calculated by multiplying the maximum operable depth (MOD) or service depth with a factor of safety. The hydrostatic pressure at this depth is considered as the design pressure for all the pressure hull calculations.

A Defence spokesperson said, “Submarine INS Karanj has completed rigorous sea and harbour tests and is fitted with all the armament. The tentative date for commissioning of INS Karanj is in between March 10 and 15.”

Officials said the time taken for constructing the sub-sections of the third submarine was lesser than that has been taken in the previous two submarines— INS Kalvari and INS Khanderi. INS Kalvari, the first Scorpene-class submarine was commissioned into the Indian Navy, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 14, 2017. INS Khanderi, the second Scorpene class submarine was launched at MDL in January 2017 and commissioned into the Navy on September 28, 2019.

The fourth submarine INS Vela was launched on May 6, 2019, and has commenced her sea trials. While the fifth submarine INS Vagir was launched on November 12, 2020, and has commenced her harbour sea trials whilst the sixth submarine INS Vagsheer is presently in the advance stage of outfitting. “The Scorpene project would not have achieved the current progress without the unconditional support and active encouragement of the Department of Defence Production (MoD) throughout its various phases,” said the official.