India launches fourth Scorpene / Kalvari-class submarine

The Kalvari-class submarine, the future ILS Vela, during its launch in MDL's yard in Mumbai. Photo c/o The Week.

The Indian shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL) in collaboration with French naval shipbuilder Naval Group (NG), launched the fourth Kalvari-class diesel electric attack submarine for the Indian Navy (IN) in ceremonies held on 6 May 2019 in MDL’s yard in Mumbai.

The ship was named Vela, is based on the Naval Group’s Scorpene-class design and was selected as part of a US$4.16 billion contract to build six new submarines under the IN’s Project 75. The future INS Vela will be undergoing more harbor tests and sea trials before it will be commissioned as part of the Indian Navy.

The Vela is expected to be commissioned by 2020. 

The submarine is powered by two 1,250kW MAN diesel engines, 360 battery cells and a permanenty magnetized propulsion motor allowing it to have an operational range of around 6,500 nautical miles. While not equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, all ships of the class are designed to allow it to be installed in the future.

It would be armed with heavyweight torpedoes and the MBDA SM39 Exocet submarine-launched anti-ship cruise missile. 

Of the three Kalvari-class submarines launche before the Vela, only the first of class INS Kalvari is in service. Two others, the Khanderi and Karanj, are in advanced stages of trials, with the Khanderi expected to be commissioned with the Indian Navy in a few weeks, and Karanj undergoing final construction touches and is scheduled for commissioning within 2019.

The Indian Navy also have a previous submarine named ILS Vela, which was commissioned in 31 August 1973 and retired from service on 25 June 2010.



[1] The Week
[2] The Diplomat
[3] Financial Express