India’s Navy launched Karanj, its third Scorpene-class submarine, from Mazagon Docks Mumbai in a ceremony on Wednesday.
The launch was attended by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, Rear Admiral Guillame de Garidel, Head of Asia Pacific, DGA France and other defense ministry and government officials, according to an Indian Ministry of Defence press release.
Karanj will undergo sea trials before being commissioned.
Initially developed by French Direction des Constructions Navales and Spain’s Navantia, the Scorpene-class submarine is capable of anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare along with intelligence-gathering, surveillance and mining. According to the Navy, the stealth-capable submarine is designed to operate in all theaters and is interoperable with other components from the Naval Task Force.
The first Indian Navy Scorpene, Kalvari, was commissioned on December 14. The second, Khanderi, was launched earlier this month and is currently undergoing sea trials.
France’s M/s Naval Group’s contract to “collaborate” with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. on six Scorpene submarines includes transfer-of-technology. All six submarines were will built in India as part of Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s “Make in India” program.