Kalvari, the Indian Navy’s first indigenous Scorpene-class stealth submarine, sailed out of Mumbai Harbour on Sunday for sea trials even as the plan to purchase heavyweight torpedoes for the vessel remains stuck due to the VVIP chopper scam.
Kalvari is the first of the India’s six Scorpene-class submarines being built under the much-delayed Project 75 by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in collaboration with French company DCNS. In October 2015, Kalvari had been set afloat. “The sea trials of Kalvari have begun today. It is a proud moment for us,” a Navy official said.
However, the plans to acquire heavyweight torpedoes is stuck in the Defence Ministry even though the Navy had been pushing for it, citing national security imperatives.
WASS Italy, a Finmeccanica company, had emerged as a successful bidder in the procurement for the torpedoes for Project 75 submarines. Subsequently, because of the group’s alleged involvement in the VVIP helicopter case, the procurement was put on hold in July 2014.
Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan had said that the Defence Ministry will take a final call on it. —PTI
