The Indian Navy’s Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhuratna, successfully completed a challenging 97-day return journey from Russia to Mumbai, covering nearly 10,000 miles. The submarine had undergone a significant upgrade in Russia, extending its operational life. Originally, there were plans to transport it via a dock ship, but due to the Ukrainian conflict, alternative arrangements had to be made.
After unsuccessful attempts to transport the submarine by sea to Norway and then to India, the Navy decided to sail it back on its own. The submarine sailed through the Norwegian Sea, English Channel, and Mediterranean Sea before reaching Mumbai on May 16. Port calls were made in Le Havre, France, and Cadiz, Spain, during the voyage.
The Western Naval Command welcomed the submarine’s arrival, stating that its modernized weapons and sensors would enhance the Navy’s capabilities in the Western Seaboard and open new opportunities for submarine operations in the Indian Ocean Region. Vice-Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command, received the crew upon their return.
The Indian Navy currently operates 16 conventional submarines, including seven Russian Kilo-class submarines, four German HDW submarines, and five French Scorpene-class submarines. The ongoing delays in inducting new submarines have prompted the Navy to subject its aging SSKs (German HDWs) and EKMs (Russian Kilos) to the Medium Refit Life Certification process, which can extend their operational life by 10 to 15 years.
Transportation challenges, especially finding cargo carriers unaffected by sanctions and securing insurance coverage, have been major hurdles in submarine logistics. Among the ten Kilo-class submarines originally procured from Russia, Sindhurakshak was lost in an accident, Sindhuvir was transferred to Myanmar, and Sindhudhvaj was decommissioned in July 2022 after 35 years of service. Another Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhukirti, is currently undergoing a routine refit at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., Visakhapatnam, for 22 months.
Kilo-class submarines have a displacement of 2,300 tonnes, a maximum diving depth of 300 meters, and can reach a top speed of 18 knots. With a crew of over 50, they have the capability to operate independently for 45 days.