Launching of fifth submarine of Project-75 at Mazagon Dock Limited

The fifth submarine of Project-75 was launched today at Mazagon Dock Limited by Vijaya Shripad Naik Minister of State for Defence. As per the new normal, the Chief Guest, Shripad Naik, and Mrs Naik were in Goa, with other dignitaries from Indian Navy and MoD attending the function from South Block, Ministry of Defence, via Video Conferencing and the main small gathering was at Mazagon Docks at the site of the launching.

Other dignitaries who attended were Vice Admiral SR Sarma (Chief of Materiel & CWP&A), Vice Admiral SV Bokhare (Inspector General Nuclear Safety), Vice Admiral RB Pandit (Chief of Staff Western Naval Command) and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Navy.

In his address, Shripad Naik applauded the stellar role of MDL in the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ initiatives of the Government of India. He appreciated the emotional bond between the ships & submarines, and the crew which builds them and mans them, saying that this was indeed a unique aspect of the Navy and shipyards.

In his address, CMD MDL Vice Amiral Narayan Prasad, IN (Retd) re-iterated that with its infrastructure, skilled workforce and rich experience, MDL is ready to competitively bid for future Naval projects, including the prestigious P-75(I) submarine project, for which MDL has already been short listed. Post launch, the submarine will undergo a very comprehensive and rigorous set of tests and trials, for more than a year, to ensure delivery of a fully combat worthy submarine, capable of operation in all modes and regimes of deployment.

Two submarines of the ongoing Project-75 Scorpene programme at MDL, Kalvari and Khanderi, have already been commissioned into the Indian Navy. The third submarine of the P-75, is in the last phase of rigorous sea trials. The fourth Scorpene, Vela, has commenced her sea trials, whilst the sixth and last submarine, is being readied for boot together. The submarine under P-75 would not have achieved the current progress without the unconditional support, course correction and active encouragement of the Department of Defence Production (MoD) and Indian Navy throughout it’s various phases of construction.

MDL has always been at the forefront of the nation’s farsighted and progressive indigenous warship building programme. In fact, with the construction of varied ranges of combat platforms such as the Leander and Godavari class Frigates, Khukri class Corvettes, Coast Guard OPVs, 1241 RE class Missile Boats, Delhi and Kolkata class Destroyers, Shivalik class Stealth Frigates, SSK submarines and the P-75 submarines under its belt, the history of modern day MDL is synonymous with indigenous warship and submarine building in India.

MDL’s contribution to national maritime security and nation building continues with the current ongoing construction of four P-15B class Destroyers and four P-17A Stealth Frigates.

The resounding success of the recent IPO, which was oversubscribed 157.42 times, has reaffirmed the nation’s faith and confidence in Brand MDL. Buoyed by this, and armed with rich experience, skilled workforce and strategic location, MDL is ready for undertaking construction of the next generation warships and submarines for the Indian Navy.