Mumbai, India – The Indian Navy is set to bolster its underwater capabilities with the addition of Vagsheer, the sixth and final Kalvari-class submarine under Project 75.
Officials have confirmed that the submarine, constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, is in the final stages of trials and is expected to be commissioned this December. This marks a significant milestone in India's ambitious naval modernization program.
The Kalvari-class submarines are diesel-electric attack submarines built under a ₹23,562-crore program with technology transfer from the French firm Naval Group.
These advanced vessels are capable of undertaking a wide range of missions, including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations, and intelligence gathering.
This development comes at a time when India is actively working to strengthen its maritime posture in the Indian Ocean region, a strategically vital area facing challenges such as China's growing influence. In line with this objective, India is also in discussions with France to construct three more Kalvari-class submarines at MDL.
The Indian Navy has been steadily enhancing its submarine fleet. In August, it commissioned INS Arighaat, its second indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
This was followed by the recent commissioning of Vinetra, a state-of-the-art submarine escape training facility at INS Satavahana in Visakhapatnam. Built by L&T Defence, Vinetra is a testament to India's commitment to the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, which aims to boost self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
The addition of Vagsheer to the Indian Navy's fleet will significantly enhance its operational capabilities and contribute to maintaining strategic balance in the region.
