On July 16th, 2022 the INS Sindhudhvaj was decommissioned from service by the Indian Navy, completing 35 years in service that began in 1987.

The INS Sindhudhvaj belonged to the Sindhughosh-class, which in turn were Kilo-class submarines designed and manufactured by Russia.

This article will give a brief description about the characteristics of the INS Sindhudhvaj within the context of the UPSC Exams.

INS Sindhudhvaj-Download PDF Here

What are Sindhughosh/Kilo class submarines?

Before going into detail about the INS Sindhudhvaj, it is important to know what are Sindhughosh/Kilo class submarines.

Sindhughosh-class submarines are renamed Russian made Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines. The name

Sindhughosh submarines were created as part of Project 877, a contract-based project between Rosvooruzhenie and the Indian Ministry of Defence

These attack submarines are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters.

To know more about the types of warships, visit the linked article

Overview of INS Sindhudhvaj

Commissioned into the Navy in June 1987, Sindhudhvaj, was one of the 10 Kilo-class submarines India acquired from Russia between 1986 and 2000. Of these, INS Sindhurakshak was lost in an accident in Mumbai harbour in August 2013, while Sindhuvir was transferred to Myanmar in 2020, making it the South East Asian nation’s first underwater platform.

As per the Indian Navy the INS Sindhudhvaj has had many ‘firsts’ to its credit:

  • First to include an operationally capable sonar USHUS, indigensed satellite communication systems Rukmani
  • First to include inertial navigation system
  • First to include an indienised torpedo fire control system
  • First to undertake a matig and personnel transfer with Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel
  • The oly submarine to be awarded with the Chief of Naval Staff rolling trophy for Invitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The characteristics of the INS Sindhudhvaj are as follows:

Characteristics of INS Sindhudhvaj
Class and type Sindhughosh-class submarine
Displacement
  • 2325 tons surfaced
  • 3076 tons submerged
Length 72.6 m (238 ft)
Beam 9.9 m (32 ft)
Draught 6.6 m (22 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 3,650 hp (2,720 kW) diesel-electric motors
  • 1 × 5,900 hp (4,400 kW) motor
  • 2 × 204 hp (152 kW) auxiliary motors
  • 1 × 130 hp (97 kW) economic speed motor
Speed
  • Surfaced;11 knots (20 km/h)
  • Snorkel Mode; 9 knots (17 km/h)
  • Submerged;19 knots (35 km/h)
Range
  • Snorting: 6,000 mi (9,700 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h)
  • Submerged: 400 miles (640 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h)
Endurance Up to 45 days with a crew of 52
Test depth
  • Operational depth; 240 m (790 ft)
  • Maximum depth; 300 m (980 ft)
Complement 52 (incl. 13 Officers)
Armament
  • 9M36 Strela-3 (SA-N-8) SAM launcher
  • Klub-S (3M-54E) ASCM
  • Type 53-65 passive wake homing torpedo
  • TEST 71/76 anti-submarine, active-passive homing torpedo
  • 24 DM-1 mines in lieu of torpedo tube

Frequently Asked Question about INS Sindhudhvaj

Q1

What does the name “Sindhudhvaj” mean?

The name “Sindhudhvaj” means flag bearer at sea in Sanskrit. The submarine was named so because it was the flag bearer of indigenisation and Indian Navy’s efforts towards achieving self-sufficiency in the manufacture of submarines
Q2

How many Sindhughosh class submarines does India have?

India possesses 7 Sindhughosh-class diesel-electric attack submarines. These Kilo-class units act as the mainstay of India’s submarine fleet and are being progressively retrofitted to accommodate the Klub/3M-54E Alfa cruise missile system.

For more information about upcoming Government Exams, visit the linked article. More exam-related preparation materials will be found through the links given below

Related Links
Types of Warships INS Kavaratti
INS Vikrant UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice
Topic-wise GS 1 Questions for UPSC Mains Topic-wise GS 2 Questions for UPSC Mains
UPSC Monthly Current Affairs Magazine UPSC Prelims exam
IAS Salary Static GK