Indian Navy plans to induct six new submarines

Six new submarines will be inducted into the Indian Navy in the coming years, said Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Monday.

Speaking to media in New Delhi, a day ahead of the Indian Navy Day, Lanba said the Indian Navy had envisioned a fleet of 200 ships and 500 aircraft by 2050.

The navy chief said that the Indian Navy will try to effectively implement the government’s “Make in India” programme, and 32 indigenously built ships and warships will be inducted in its fleet. In addition, government approval had also been accorded for 56 ships and six submarines.

Ships and submarines under construction include the aircraft carrier Vikrant, P-15B class destroyers, P17A class stealth frigates, P28 ASW corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and Scorpene class submarines.

At present, India has only one aircraft carrier — the 44,000 tonne INS Vikramaditya, and planed to build 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier.

Lanba said a pilot project of installing transponders has begun and soon all the 250,000 Indian vessels will be fitted with transponders.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is learnt to have developed transponders to keep track of fishing vessels on the high seas using the geostationery communication satellite “GSAT-6” built by it.

 brinkwire