Source : Firstpost
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| Image Source: India TV |
New Delhi: Even as the focus of the entire nation is on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh following the Tawang clash between the Indian Army and the PLA, the real tussle for military supremacy between India and China is being played out thousands of kilometers south of the Himalayas – amid the deep, blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
Chinese vessels make frequent visits to the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka and are regularly spotted near India’s maritime boundary in the vicinity of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
However, the Indian Navy has been building up its muscles in recent times. The latest addition to India’s naval arsenal is INS Vagir.
The Indian Navy on Tuesday received the fifth scorpene-class submarine INS Vagir ahead of its planned commissioning next month. The induction of the submarine, built under Project-75, is set to bolster the Indian Navy’s combat capability.
India has been focusing on shoring up its maritime capability with a focus on the Indian Ocean in the backdrop of concerns over China’s growing forays into the region, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy.
Project-75 includes the indigenous construction of six submarines of Scorpene design. The submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai in collaboration with the Naval Group of France.
“Launched on Nov 12, 2020, Vagir commenced the sea trials from February 1 and it is a matter of great pride that she has completed all major trials including the weapon and sensor trials in the shortest time in comparison to the earlier submarines,” Navy Spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal was quoted as saying by PTI.
Submarine construction is an intricate activity as the difficulty is compounded when all equipment are required to be miniaturised and are subject to stringent quality requirements, he said.
Commander Madhwal said the construction of these submarines in an Indian yard is another step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
He said the submarine will be commissioned into the Indian Navy soon.
On Sunday, the Indian Navy had commissioned the indigenously built guided missile destroyer INS Mormugao.
