Oldest operational submarine undergoes refit.
New Delhi: The Soviet-era submarine INS Sindhukirti has rejoined the Indian Navy after a comprehensive refit, bolstering the Navy’s undersea capability.
Commissioned in 1990 and built in the Soviet Union, Sindhukirti is one of the Navy’s oldest operational submarines. It underwent a refit at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam from January 2023.
In March 2023, the defence ministry awarded HSL a Rs 934 crore contract for the submarine’s “normal refit.” HSL marked the submarine’s departure on Sunday, tweeting: “As you depart from Hindustan Shipyard Limited, we bid you a heartfelt farewell, dear Sindhukirti. Your time with HSL has been marked by dedication, engineering excellence, and silent strength beneath the waves. May you stay Ops, your divings safe and your missions striking. Goodbye and Godspeed!”
Once the refit is complete, Sindhukirti, one of the Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines, will be fully combat worthy and rejoin India’s active submarine fleet. With its stealth and endurance, the submarine will undertake peacetime patrols and, if required, strategic operations.
Sindhukirti’s operational availability has been limited by lengthy dock periods; its previous mid-life refit in the 2000s extended nearly a decade, drawing criticism over maintenance delays. HSL is now preparing to refit a Scorpene-class submarine, demonstrating its capability with modern platforms. This experience positions HSL as a front-runner for upcoming strategic programmes, including medium refit-cum-life certification (MRLC) of the Sindhughosh class and new submarine construction under Projects P75(I) and P76.
HSL is also in talks with the Vietnam People’s Navy to offer global submarine refit services, further positioning India as a defence partner in the Indo-Pacific.
