The Scorpene submarines are extremely potent platforms with advanced stealth features

The Indian Navy has added more teeth to its fleet with the commissioning of INS Vela, a potent Scorpene-class submarine.

The fourth submarine in the series of six submarines of Project-75, INS Vela was commissioned at naval dockyard Mumbai in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh on Thursday.

Describing the commissioning as "a major milestone", the Ministry of Defence said INS Vela would form part of the Western Naval Command’s Submarine fleet.

The Scorpene submarines are extremely potent platforms. They have advanced stealth features and are also equipped with both long range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles.

These submarines have a state of the art SONAR and sensor suite permitting outstanding operational capabilities, the defence ministry said.

They also have an advanced Permanent Magnetic Synchronous motor (PERMASYN) as its propulsion motor.

The Scorpene Class submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with M/s Naval Group (earlier DCNS), France.

Member of Parliament Arvind Sawant, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chairman & Managing Director, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad (Retd) and other senior civil & military officials of Ministry of Defence were present during the commissioning ceremony of INS Vela.

Crew of the erstwhile ‘Vela’, a Russian origin Foxtrot Class Submarine, which was decommissioned in 2009, were also present amongst the guests on this occasion.

The defence ministry pointed out that delivery of Vela was yet another affirmation of the impetus being given by the Indian Navy towards consolidating its position as a ‘Builder’s Navy’ as also indicative of MDL’s capabilities as a premier ship and submarine building yard.

The commissioning of the submarine is coinciding with ‘Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ celebrations.

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