Indian Navy’s Kalvari class submarine INS Vela entered Oman’s port Salalah for an OTR on February 28, 2023. In its bid to ensure better cooperation with friendly countries, the Indian navy deploys its warships actively to enhance security in the Indian Ocean region and engages closely with all maritime neighbours for this purpose. Indian naval ships and submarines undertake OTRs regularly at friendly and foreign ports.

According to the navy, INS Vela’s visit to Salalah is reflective of the strong, deep multi-layered ties between India and Oman. This will not only improve ties between both nations but also will help keep an eye on Chinese movements in the region.

About INS Vela

INS Vela is the fourth submarine in the series of six project-75 submarines. It was commissioned into the Indian navy on November 25, 2021. Its formal commissioning took place at the naval dockyard in Mumbai. INS Vela is deployed in the western naval command’s submarine fleet. It carries the legacy of the old INS Vela, which was commissioned on August 31, 1973 as the lead boat of Vela class submarines.

The meaning of INS Vela is Vigilant, Valiant, Victorious, Status, and In service. It was commissioned by former Indian Naval chief Admiral Karambir Singh. It is fitted with advanced weapons and sensors and has all these integrated into the Submarine Tactical Integrated Combat system known as SUBTICS.

About Scorpène -Class Submarines

The Scorpene class submarines are diesel-electric submarines jointly developed by the French naval group and Spanish company Navantia. It has diesel propulsion and additional air-independent propulsion. It has three subtypes: the CM 2000 conventional diesel-electric version, the AM-2000 air-independent propulsion derivative, the downsized CA-2000 coastal submarine and the enlarged S-BR. India has a total of six Scorpène class submarines one of which is INS Vela. The Indian Navy’s visit to Salah is a reflection of mutually strong ties between both India and Oman. Last week INS Sindhukesari visited Indonesia from February 22 to 24, 2023.