Dainik Nation News Portal
The third Scorpene class submarine constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited for the Indian Navy, was launched today, 31 January 2018 by Mrs Reena Lanba, President Navy Wives Welfare Association after the recitation of Sanskrit shlokas from the Atharva Veda and traditional ceremonies associated with the launch of naval platforms. She also named this submarine as ‘Karanj’ and wished her good fortune.
Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff was the chief guest on the occasion. VAdm Girish Luthra, FOC-in-C, Western Naval Command and VAdm D M Deshpande, Controller Warship Production & Acquisition (CWP&A), Rear Admiral Guillame de Garidel, Head of Asia Pacific, DGA France and other senior officers and dignitaries from MoD, MDL and state government were also present during the ceremony. This historic event reaffirms the giant strides taken by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in the ongoing ‘Make In India’ programme, which is being actively implemented by the Department of Defence Production (MoD).
The submarine was then towed to Mumbai Port Trust, for separation from the pontoon. Karanj will now undergo rigorous trials and tests, both in harbour and at sea before it is commissioned into the Navy.
The contract for the construction and Transfer-of-Technology for six Scorpene submarines in series, has M/s Naval Group (formerly DCNS) of France as ‘Collaborator’ and are being built by MDL.
During his address, Admiral Sunil Lanba, CNS, said that the launch of Karanj marked a significant departure from the manning and training philosophy that was adopted for the first two submarines and added that from third submarine onwards the Navy would be fully self reliant in training and certification processes. He also mentioned that the old Karanj had served the nation for 34 years from 1969 to 2003 including participation in 1971 war.
