Centre Signs Rs 934 Cr Agreement With HSL To Refit INS Sindhukirti Submarine

In another step towards achieving 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat,' the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on Monday for the normal refit of the Sindhukirti submarine in Visakhapatnam. The project will cost nearly Rs 934 crore.

INS Sindhukirti will be combat-ready after the refit and will be reintroduced into the Indian Navy's active submarine fleet.

Refitting a vessel is the process of repairing, upgrading, or modifying a ship or boat in order to improve its condition, performance, or functionality. This may entail replacing or repairing structural or equipment components, upgrading navigation or communication systems, improving safety features, or adding new amenities or capabilities.

This refit was offloaded in order to develop an alternate repair facility for submarines and it is a step towards HSL completing a medium refit with life certification. The renovation would involve more than 20 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and would employ 1,000 people per day for the duration of the project.

INS Sindhukirti is an electric-diesel submarine. The submarine was commissioned on 7 June 1990 and has served the country in various capacities since then.

Sindhukirti has a submerged displacement of 1860 tonnes and a length of 67.5 metres. When submerged, the submarine has a top speed of 20 knots (approximately 37kmph) and can dive to a depth of 300 metres. It has six 533 mm torpedo tubes and can transport up to 18 torpedoes or missiles.

The submarine is named after the legendary 4th century AD king, Vikramaditya. Sindhukirti means “Fame of the Ocean” and it's an apt name for a submarine that patrols the Indian Ocean.

INS Sindhukirti has taken part in a number of naval exercises and operations over the years, including Operation Parakram against Pakistan in 2001-02. In 2008, the submarine collided with a merchant vessel off the coast of Mumbai, causing damage to the submarine's periscope.

INS Sindhukirti was upgraded at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam in 2013. The upgrade included the installation of a new combat system, the modernisation of sensors and weapons and the replacement of the submarine's engines.