What is ‘INS Karanj’, which was making news recently, with reference to Indian defence?

The correct answer is Scorpene submarine.

Key Points

• INS Karanj
  • Indian Navy’s third stealth Scorpene-class (of Project-75) Submarine INS Karanj has been commissioned at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai. Hence, Option 1 is correct.
  • The previous INS Karanj (a Russian-origin submarine) was commissioned in 1969, at Riga in the erstwhile USSR.
  • It had served the nation for 34 years up to 2003.
  • The new INS Karanj would form part of the Western Naval Command’s Submarine fleet.
  • The ship’s name, Karanj, is believed to be derived from the Karanja island (also known as Uran Island), a town in Raigad district, which lies in the southeast of Mumbai Harbour.
  • The Indian Navy has its base at Uran near Navi Mumbai.
  • Karanj has been equipped with the best sensors in the world.
  • It is fitted with an integrated platform management system to provide centralized propulsion and machinery control.
  • The powerful diesel engines can quickly charge batteries for a stealthy mission profile.
  • Also, its modular construction enables the upgradation to air-independent propulsion in the future.
  • It is fitted with a permanent magnet synchronous motor, making it one of the quietest submarines in the world.
  • Karanj is also said to be the first truly indigenous submarine.

Additional Information

• Project 75:
  • It is a program by the Indian Navy that entails building six Scorpene-Class attack submarines.
  • It is given support by the Department of Defence Production (Ministry of Defence) and the Indian Navy throughout its various phases of construction.
  • The Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) is manufacturing six Scorpene submarines with technical assistance from the Naval Group of France under a USD 3.75 bn deal signed in October 2005.
  • MDL aptly called “Ship Builder to the Nation”, is one of India’s leading Defence public sector undertaking shipyards under the Ministry of Defence.