• Indian Navy expects to induct two Scorpene diesel-electric submarines into service this year and launch a third submarine into water even as officials acknowledged the growing Chinese maritime presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Indian Scorpene Submarines:

• The first of the Scorpenes, Kalvari, is expected to finish sea trials by May and is on track to be inducted before the monsoon.
• The second submarine Khanderi was launched into sea in Mumbai last week. The commissioning of the Khanderi would be dependent on the monsoon as trials cannot be conducted during the three to five month period.
• The third Scorpene submarine Vela will be launched into water this year after the monsoons.
• India has contracted six Scorpene submarines from DCNS of France to be built locally with technology transfer. The Navy intends to induct all six by 2020.
• The P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft, procured from the U.S., has been a major force multiplier and the Navy has been keeping track of Chinese “sub-surface movement”, which has increased in the name of anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.
• At least one Chinese submarine has been continuously deployed in the Indian Ocean.

Source: The Hindu