Indian Navy to commission four warships, submarines in a mth

Mumbai: The Indian Navy is gearing up to commission four advanced warships and submarines in the coming weeks, including one constructed at a Russian shipyard.Speaking at the annual press conference for Navy Week 2024 onboard the stealth destroyer INS Mormugao, Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, announced: "Four vessels are set for induction within the next month. These include INS Nilgiri, INS Surat, INS Tushil and INS Vagsheer."INS Tushil, built in Russia, is the last of two foreign-built vessels to join the fleet. Highlighting the Navy's push for indigenous construction, he added, "Currently, 65 vessels are under construction, 63 of which are being built in Indian shipyards."Addressing piracy concerns, Vice Admiral Singh said, "The Indian Navy has been actively engaged in anti-piracy operations since Oct 2008, maintaining at least one ship on continuous deployment in the Gulf of Aden for the past 16 years. Initially, there were questions about our endurance, but we proved our capability."On the decline of piracy, he attributed it to multiple factors, including adverse monsoon weather and the Navy's decisive actions. "Key pirate leaders were either captured or deterred, breaking the momentum of piracy. However, we remain vigilant and prepared to counter any resurgence of pirate activity," he said.On the recent collision between the Indian Navy submarine INS Karanj and the fishing boat FV Marthoma off the Goa coast, Vice Admiral Singh said while the submarine suffered damage, it remains operational. "Whenever there's a collision, some damage is inevitable. The Navy assessed the damage, and repairs are underway," he said, stressing an internal inquiry is on and corrective measures will be implemented as needed. The Nov 21 accident caused the fishing boat to sink, resulting in the death of two crew members. The submarine incurred damages of over Rs 10 crore.