Indian submarine INS Vagir completes historic 7,000 km deployment to Australia

Tags: Defence

India's Scorpene class submarine INS Vagir has successfully completed its longest deployment ever by covering a remarkable distance of nearly 7,000 km to reach Australia. This deployment, which begins in June 2023, is a significant achievement for the Indian Navy.

An Overview of the News

• Since deployment, INS Vagir has been operational without interruption, except for one port call in Sri Lanka.

• The submarine re-surfaces every 3-4 days to recharge its batteries while maintaining its operational status.

Commissioning and Grounding:

• Commissioned in January this year, INS Vagir belongs to the Kalvari class submarines.

• The submarine is based in Mumbai and its deployment reflects the professionalism of the Navy.

Seamless Travel Details:

• After a stay in Sri Lanka for the International Day of Yoga, INS Vagir continued her voyage.

• It has traveled more than 7,000 kilometers (about 4,000 nautical miles) since June following a recharge routine.

Historical deployments in Australia:

• The visit of INS Vagir is the first instance of an extended-distance deployment to Australia by an Indian submarine.

• This achievement highlights the Indian Navy's capabilities for sustained operations at long ranges.

Exercises with the Royal Australian Navy:

• During her visit to Australia, INS Vagir will participate in exercises with units of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) off the West Coast.

• The objective of these exercises is to enhance cooperation and interoperability between the two naval forces.

• INS Vagir is in Australia, Indian naval ships and aircraft are concurrently engaged in Exercise MALABAR (11-21 August) and AUSINDEX (22-24 August) off the east coast of Australia.

Anti-Submarine Exercises and Cooperation:

• The ongoing deployment of INS Vagir includes anti-submarine exercises at various levels.

• Strengthening joint naval capabilities, joint exercises with RAN submarines and Indian Navy P8i aircraft have been planned.