INS Sindhuvijay, a Sindhughosh-class submarine and the fourth in the series of India’s Kilo-class boats, is set to undergo a major mid-life refit at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, later this year.

Commissioned in 1991, the diesel-electric attack submarine last went through a comprehensive overhaul in 2005 at Russia’s Zvezdochka Shipyard. With the submarine fleet of the Indian Navy under increasing operational pressure, the Ministry of Defence has already cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), and the refit contract is expected to be finalised soon.

The extensive refurbishment aims to repair hull damages, overhaul engines and critical machinery, integrate advanced weapon systems, install upgraded sonar and communication technologies, and extend the vessel’s combat life for several more years.

The 73-meter-long submarine, with a displacement of about 2,325 tonnes surfaced and 3,076 tonnes submerged, has an operational range of 6,000 nautical miles at 7 knots on snorkel and can dive up to 300 meters.

Powered for stealthy operations, it carries six 533 mm torpedo tubes, capable of launching 18 torpedoes, up to 24 naval mines, or Club-S land-attack cruise missiles with a strike range of 220 km. The submarine houses a complement of 53 personnel including 12–13 officers and has an endurance of nearly 45 days at sea.

During its last foreign refit in Russia, INS Sindhuvijay was upgraded to fire Klub-class cruise missiles from its torpedo tubes and received an indigenous sonar suite and modern communication systems.

However, initial trials faced setbacks when the cruise missiles failed during early test launches, delaying its acceptance until the issues were rectified. Following successful modernisation, the upcoming refit at HSL will mark the second major overhaul for the platform, ensuring that it remains battle-ready against modern underwater and surface threats.

This development comes after the Indian Navy recently inducted the overhauled INS Sindhukirti, another Sindhughosh-class submarine, from HSL earlier this year. With INS Sindhuvijay set for its crucial mid-life refit, the Navy aims to retain and upgrade a vital component of its strategic sub-surface fleet, strengthening India’s maritime security and deterrence in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region).

Based On Asianet News Report