Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), India’s premier naval shipyard, marked a significant milestone today with the signing of the Second Reading acceptance documents (D448) for INS Vela, the fourth Kalvari-class submarine constructed under Project-75. The ceremony took place at MDL’s headquarters in Mumbai, attended by senior officials from both MDL and the Indian Navy.
The documents were signed by Cmde S B Jamgaonkar (Retd.), Director (Shipbuilding & Heavy Engineering) at MDL, and Rear Admiral R. Adhisrinivasan, Chief Staff Officer (Technical), Indian Navy, in the presence of other high-ranking naval and MDL personnel. This event signifies a crucial step toward the commissioning of INS Vela, further strengthening India’s maritime defense capabilities in the Indian Ocean region.
INS Vela is part of the Kalvari-class series, a set of six diesel-electric attack submarines being built by MDL in collaboration with France’s Naval Group. Named after the tiger shark, the Kalvari-class submarines are designed for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, and special operations. INS Vela was launched in May 2019, following its predecessors INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, and INS Karanj, which were commissioned between 2017 and 2019.
The Project-75 initiative underscores India’s push for self-reliance in defense manufacturing, aligning with the #MAKEININDIA campaign. MDL has been a key player in this endeavor, having delivered 805 vessels since 1960, including 30 warships and eight submarines. The Kalvari-class submarines are also set to be equipped with an indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, with MDL securing a ₹1,990 crore contract in December 2024 for its integration. This upgrade will enhance the submarines’ stealth and endurance, allowing them to remain submerged for extended periods.
The signing ceremony, held in a conference room adorned with MDL’s insignia and portraits of national leaders, symbolized the strong partnership between MDL and the Indian Navy. The event also highlighted MDL’s growing expertise in submarine construction, positioning India as a formidable naval power amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region.
