INS Vagsheer Strengthens India’s Undersea Combat Capability

Why in News ?

The President of India recently undertook a submarine sortie aboard INS Vagsheer, a Kalvari-class (Scorpene-class) submarine, from the Karwar naval base. With this, the President became the second Indian President to experience a submarine sortie, highlighting India’s growing maritime and undersea warfare capabilities.

Background & Context

Submarines form a critical pillar of modern naval warfare, offering stealth, deterrence, and sea-denial capabilities. For a country like India—with long coastlines, extensive maritime trade routes, and rising strategic competition in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)—a strong submarine fleet is essential.

India’s submarine modernisation has gained momentum through Project-75, which aims to strengthen indigenous shipbuilding, enhance undersea warfare capability, and reduce dependence on imports. INS Vagsheer marks a significant milestone in this journey, symbolising both technological advancement and strategic deterrence.

About INS Vagsheer

Overview

• INS Vagsheer is the sixth and final submarine of the first batch of Kalvari-class submarines under Project-75.
• It is also known as part of the Scorpene-class, designed with French collaboration.

Naming

• Named after the sandfish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean
• Reflects stealth, agility, and lethal striking power

Commissioning

• Commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2025
• Home port: Karwar Naval Base

Project-75 and Kalvari-Class Submarines

Project-75

• A flagship submarine acquisition and indigenisation programme of the Indian Navy
• Involves construction of six diesel-electric attack submarines

Sister Vessels

INS Vagsheer joins:

• INS Kalvari
• INS Khanderi
• INS Karanj
• INS Vela
• INS Vagir

All six submarines are now operational, significantly boosting India’s undersea fleet strength.

Indigenous Manufacturing & Technology Transfer

• Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai
• Constructed with technology transfer from France
• Represents a major success of:
  • Make in India
  • Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence

Indigenous Systems on INS Vagsheer

• Air-conditioning plant
• Internal communication network
• Ku-Band SATCOM system
• High degree of localisation compared to earlier submarines

Key Features & Capabilities

Advanced Stealth

• Extremely low radiated noise levels
• Sophisticated hydrodynamic hull design
• Among the quietest submarines globally

Weapon Systems

• Heavy-weight torpedoes
• Anti-ship missiles
• Mine-laying capability

Operational Roles

• Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW)
• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
• Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)
• Sea denial and deterrence missions

Strategic Significance of INS Vagsheer

Maritime Security

• Enhances India’s ability to monitor and control strategic sea lanes
• Strengthens deterrence in the Indian Ocean Region

Regional Balance of Power

• Provides India an edge amid increasing submarine deployments by extra-regional powers
• Reinforces India’s position as a net security provider in the IOR

Indigenous Defence Capability

• Demonstrates India’s growing expertise in complex undersea platforms
• Reduces long-term dependence on foreign defence imports

Civil–Military Symbolism

• The President’s submarine sortie reflects:
  • Civilian leadership’s confidence in India’s armed forces
  • Recognition of naval personnel operating in high-risk environments
• Enhances public awareness of India’s undersea warfare capability

Challenges and Way Ahead

Challenges

• Ageing legacy submarines still in service
• Need for advanced Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems
• Delays in future submarine acquisition projects

Way Forward

• Accelerate Project-75(I) for next-generation submarines
• Increase indigenous R&D in propulsion and sensor technologies
• Strengthen private sector participation in defence manufacturing
• Enhance training and maintenance infrastructure for submariners