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INS Sindhughosh, the lead submarine of her class with the Indian Navy, has been decommissioned after 40 years of glorious service to the nation, the Western Naval Command said on Saturday. The decommissioning ceremony was held at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, in the presence of WNC's Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOCINC) Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan. "INS Sindhughosh, the lead submarine of her class in service with the Indian Navy, was decommissioned at sunset on 19 Dec 25, after 40 years of glorious service to the nation, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, in the presence of VAdm Krishna Swaminathan, FOCINC WNC," WNC posted on X. The submarine was paid off under the command of Lt Cdr Rajat Sharma. Capt KR Ajrekar (retd), the second Commanding Officer of the submarine, was the guest of honour, it said. The Western Naval Command also shared some photos of the ceremony. "Adm VS Shekhawat retd), former CNS, Flag Officers, former Commanding Officers, members of the commissioning crew, .
The Indian Navy will commission its second MH-60R helicopter squadron -- INAS 335 (Ospreys) -- on December 17, boosting its aviation capabilities, officials said on Sunday. The advanced weapons, sensors and avionics suite make the helicopter a versatile and capable asset for the Navy, offering enhanced capabilities to address conventional as well as asymmetric threats, they said. Accordingly, the Navy's second MH-60R helicopter squadron -- INAS 335 (Ospreys) -- will be commissioned on December 17 at INS Hansa, Goa, in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, a Navy spokesman said. The occasion will mark a pivotal moment in the Navy's continued efforts towards modernisation and capability enhancement, he said. The MH-60R helicopter has been fully integrated with fleet operations and has proven its worth on numerous occasions. The Navy will receive a significant fillip in its integral aviation capabilities with the commissioning of the squadron, the official
During the visit of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi to Brazil, a landmark tripartite MoU was signed between the Indian Navy, Brazilian Navy, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited on Exchange of Information related to maintenance of Scorpene-class submarines & other naval vessels, as per the spokesperson of the Indian Navy.According to the Indian Navy, the MoU will enhance life-cycle support, enable experience sharing in maintenance, logistics & training, and strengthen cooperation between government agencies & industry of both nations.The MoU will further boost Defence R & D collaboration and drive technological innovation in sustaining Scorpene-class submarines and other naval platforms.The visit of CNS Tripathi to Brazil comes shortly after a 40-member delegation from Brazil's Naval War College was hosted at the Naval Headquarters here in the national capital in November this year. The visit of the delegation saw discussions on enhancing the ...
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday extended greetings to Indian Navy personnel, veterans, and their families on Navy Day and said the nation salutes the brave men and women who safeguard maritime borders and national interests with courage, vigilance, and unwavering commitment. From securing trade routes and strengthening the blue economy to leading humanitarian missions, the Indian Navy embodies discipline, compassion and responsibility, she said in a post on X. Navy Day is observed as an acknowledgement of the Navy's seminal role in the country's defence, and December 4 was chosen to celebrate the day to commemorate its valour against Pakistan during the 1971 war when it inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. "Warm greetings to Indian Navy personnel, veterans and their families on Navy Day! The nation salutes the brave men and women who safeguard our maritime borders and national interests with courage, vigilance and unwavering commitment," Murmu said.
The threat of offensive action by the Indian Navy during Operation Sindoor was one of the important factors in Pakistan requesting a ceasefire, Vice Admiral K Swaminathan said on Tuesday. India launched the Operation Sindoor military action in May this year after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 persons were killed. Addressing the media ahead of the Navy Day, Vice Admiral Swaminathan, who heads the Western Naval Command, said Operation Sindoor saw an unprecedented mobilisation of more than 30 ships and submarines within a very short period. "Our frontline ships were poised for combat off the Makran coast, under the umbrella of Vikrant Carrier Battle Group," he said. The offensive deployment and posturing of the Indian Navy included a series of successful weapon firings in April and "forced Pakistan Navy to remain close to its own coast," he said "In fact, the threat of offensive action by the Indian Navy could he considered one of the important factors in Pakistan requesting
INS Vikrant would be the star attraction of the grand Indian Navy Operational Demonstration as part of the Navy Day celebrations here at Shangumugham on December 3. President Droupadi Murmu will attend the event as the chief guest. Naval sources said that India's premier aircraft carrier is now stationed near Sri Lanka and would be reaching Thiruvananthapuram in a couple of days. India's full air and naval power would be on display during the demonstration, they said. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi will host the event. The celebrations will feature a series of naval exercise demonstrations, showcasing what the Navy describes as its "combat strength and capabilities.
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Karmuk is close to completing its week-long participation in the Singapore-India-Thailand Maritime Exercise (SITMEX-25). The fifth edition of SITMEX, which began on November 23 and was hosted this year by the Republic of Singapore Navy, aims to bolster maritime cooperation, enhance inter-operability and strengthen the collective capability of the three navies in the Indo-Pacific region. The exercise opened with a three-day Harbour Phase that included cross-deck visits, professional exchanges and friendly sporting events to build mutual understanding and camaraderie among participating personnel. Naval Component Commander Commodore Nitesh Garg and INS Karmuk's Commanding Officer called on High Commissioner of India to Singapore Dr Shilpak Ambule and briefed him on the ship's visit for the ongoing maritime exercise, according to the High Commissioner on Friday. The Indian High Commission welcomed INS Karmuk, describing it as an indigenously built Kora-class ..
Post-Operation Sindoor in May, Pakistan has been shopping all around the world for arms and ammunition which is a matter of concern, while China, too, remains an enduring challenge on the back of its growing assertiveness, a top Indian Navy officer said on Wednesday. Vice-Admiral K Swaminathan, who heads the crucial Western Naval Command headquartered in Mumbai, noted the Chinese Navy has already become the largest in the world and has added fleet to the size of the Indian Navy in just last decade and expanding like never before. He was speaking at a security conference organised by the Bramha Research Foundation. Swaminathan noted that the commissioning of Fujian, the third aircraft carrier of the Chinese Navy, along with the demonstration of fifth and sixth generation fighters, is part of the Communist nation's global strategic narrative and signalling. "China, also worryingly for us, continues to maintain five-eight ships in the Indian Ocean Region," he said. This group ...
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday sentenced two more accused in the Pakistan-linked Visakhapatnam Navy espionage case to simple imprisonment (SI), along with a fine. The accused, identified as Ashok Kumar and Vikas Kumar, hailing from Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu and Alwar districts, respectively, will have to undergo SI of 5 years and 11 months, a statement issued by the NIA said. They also face an additional SI of one year in the event of default of payment of a Rs 5,000 fine, imposed by the NIA special court at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), it said. With this, NIA has successfully secured the conviction of eight of the 15 accused arrested in the case till date. Ashok and Vikas were arrested in December 2019 from Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Karwar (Karnataka), respectively. NIA had, in June 2020, chargesheeted 14 accused persons, and subsequently filed a supplementary charge sheet against one more accused in March 2021. A total of 15 accused persons have been arres
The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned INS Mahe, the first of the Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, which is expected to boost its combat prowess. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi was the chief guest at the commissioning of INS Mahe, marking the new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants - sleek, swift and resolutely Indian. Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), INS Mahe represents the cutting edge of India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative in naval ship design and construction. Compact yet powerful, the ship embodies agility, precision and endurance - qualities vital for dominating the littorals, the Navy said. With her blend of firepower, stealth and mobility, the ship is designed to hunt submarines, conduct coastal patrols, and secure India's vital maritime approaches, it added.
The recent official visit of Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi to the US has reaffirmed the "growing synergy" between the navies of the two countries and underscores their shared commitment to a secure, stable and rules-based Indo-Pacific, officials said on Friday. The visit, from November 12 to 17, was aimed at further strengthening the India-US maritime partnership and advancing shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, they said. It also sought to strengthen the robust and enduring maritime partnership between the Indian Navy and the US Navy, a key pillar of the defence partnership between the two countries, a spokesperson of the Indian Navy said earlier. During the visit, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) held high-level engagements with senior US civilian and military leadership, including Navy Secretary John C Phelan, Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby, Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Adm Samuel J Paparo, Commander of US Pacific