INS Sindhudhvaj: The Navy’s Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhudhvaj was decommissioned on July 16, 2022, from Indian Navy, after providing service for 35 years.

With this, the Navy now has 15 conventional submarines in service.

About INS Sindhudhvaj:

• Sindhudhvaj means “flag bearer at sea”.
• A nurse shark in grey colour is depicted on the submarine's crest.
• Throughout her service in the Indian Navy, this Ship was the flag bearer of indigenization as well as efforts of the Indian Navy in attaining Atma Nirbharta in Sindhughosh class submarines
• She has had many firsts to her credit, including operationalization of the indigenized sonar USHUS, Indigenised Satellite Communication systems Rukmani & MSS, Inertial Navigation System and Inertial Navigation System & Indigenised Torpedo Fire Control System.
• She has also undertaken mating and personnel transfer successfully, with Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel.
• Sindhudhvaj is the only submarine, to receive the CNS Rolling Trophy.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi had awarded the trophy for Innovation.
• She was commissioned into the Navy in June 1987.
• Sindhudhvaj is one of the 10 Kilo-class submarines in India that was bought from Russia between 1986 and 2000.

Note: Kilo class submarines are diesel-electric attack submarines, designed in the 1970s. They were built in the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy.

• One of these, Sindhurakshak, was destroyed in an accident in Mumbai's harbour in August 2013, while the other, Sindhuvir, was transferred to Myanmar in 2020, becoming the first underwater platform in that country in Southeast Asia.

Sindhughosh-class submarines:

• Sindhughosh-class submarines are designed under Project 877.
• They are diesel-electric submarines from Kilo-class
• They were constructed as a part of a contract between Rosvooruzhenie and the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD).
• They have a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, a max speed of 18 knots, and a max diving depth of 300 meters.
• These ships have a crew capacity of 53, for 45, and are capable of sailing solo.

Navy’s sub-surface fleet:

The Navy’s sub-surface fleet now includes -

• Seven Russian Kilo-class submarines,
• Four German HDW submarines,
• Four French Scorpene submarines and
• One indigenous nuclear ballistic missile submarine Arihant.

The last two of the Scorpene class submarines are in various stages of trials and outfitting.