INS Vagsheer is the last of the six Scorpene-class submarines under India's Project 75

Mumbai: The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai today launched INS Vagsheer, the last of the six Scorpene-class submarines under Project 75. The submarine was launched by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.

After launch, the submarine will undergo a comprehensive and rigorous set of tests and trials for more than a year to ensure that it is fully combat-ready.

Named after sandfish, a deadly deep water sea predator of the Indian Ocean, the first submarine 'Vagsheer' was commissioned in December 1974. It was decommissioned in April 1997.

The new submarine is the latest incarnation of its earlier version, as according to naval parlance a ship never ceases to exist. Even after a ship/submarine is decommissioned, a new ship/submarine replaces the old one with the same name.

In November 2020, the Navy commissioned the fourth submarine under Project-75. In February, the sea trials for the fifth submarine commenced.

Scorpene-class submarines INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi and INS Karang have already been commissioned.