Hyderabad: The Indian Navy every year celebrates December 8, as Submarine Day, as on this day in 1967, the first submarine, the erstwhile INS Kalvari was commissioned. Kalvari is the Malayalam name for Tiger Shark, a predator in the Indian Ocean. The Kalvari was decommissioned in 1996 after 29 years of service.
Military Purposes
Submarines have primarily been used for offensive military purposes throughout the 20th century. During World War I and World War II, they were used to sink enemy ships. In the present day, while submarines are still used by the military, they are increasingly being put to use for civilian benefits. Their ability to go deep underwater has made it possible for scientists to research marine life and sea beds.
They are also sometimes used for underwater tourism. Most present-day military submarines run using nuclear power, though, in many parts of the world, diesel-electric submarines are also in common use.
First Submarine INS Kalavari
On 8 December 1967, the first submarine joined the Indian Navy and the name of this submarine was INS Kalvari. INS Kalavari came from Russia. INS Kalvari was a Foxtrot class submarine. Four Indian Navy officers from Chennai witnessed the journey of the first submarine which reached Visakhapatnam from St. Petersburg, Russia in 1967.
Apart from Commodore KS Subrahmanyam, Lieutenant Commander A Abraham, Lieutenant PK Ramanathan and Lieutenant Ramesh came to Visakhapatnam after 79 days. The first batch of this submarine consisted of 14 officers and 120 sailors. India started the construction of this submarine in collaboration with Russia on 27 December 1966.
Total Submarines In India
As of April 2024, Currently, India currently operates 18 conventional submarines, including five Scorpene class (French), four HDWs (German) and seven Kilo-class (Russian). The Indian Navy is gearing up to commission four advanced warships and submarines in the coming weeks, including one constructed at a Russian shipyard.
Top 10 Countries with the Largest Military Submarine Fleets
| Ranking | Country | Submarines (GFP 2024) |
| 1 | Russia | 65 |
| 2 | United States | 64 |
| 3 | China | 61 |
| 4 | North Korea | 35 |
| 5 | Japan | 23 |
| 6 | South Korea | 22 |
| 7 | Iran | 19 |
| 8 | India | 18 |
| 9 | Turkey | 12 |
| 10 | Greece | 11 |
Navy setting up a base to control submarines.
With India recently commissioning its second nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat as part of the plan to expand both the strategic as well as conventional underwater combat fleets, the Navy is now setting up a new advanced facility to seamlessly communicate with its stealthy predators out on long-range patrols.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of a new Very Low Frequency (VLF) Station of the Indian Navy at the Damagundam Reserve Forest site, Pudur Mandal in Vikarabad, Telangana on October 15, 2024. The facility, built at a cost of Rs 3,200 crore, will be spread across 2,900 acres.
It will bolster the Indian Navy’s operational readiness, ensuring effective command and control capabilities in challenging maritime environments. It will play a pivotal role in strengthening the Naval communication infrastructure, enabling reliable and secure transmission over long distances.
Third Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine
India plans to commission its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) in another six months to further bolster its sea-based leg of the nuclear weapons triad, after the second such boat was formally inducted into the Strategic Forces Command as INS Arighaat at Visakhapatnam on 29th August 2024.
India Plans Nuclear Attack Submarines by 2036
The recently approved proposal to construct India's first nuclear-powered attack submarines is a game changer that will not only give the Indian Navy a unique operational capability but also lift the defence manufacturing ecosystem, with a breakthrough moment expected for the 'Make in India' initiative within the next five years, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said.
On the Cabinet Committee on Security's approval to build two nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), Admiral Tripathi said the plan is to commission the first one by 2036-37 and the second one in about two years from then.
Interesting Facts About Submarines:
- Submarines are equipped with water tanks called ballast tanks that fill up to submerge the vessel. Emptying the tanks and filling them with air causes the submarine to surface.
- Some submarines can remain underwater for several months at a time.
- The first submarines could only hold one or two people. Today, some submarines can carry more than 100 people.
- Submarines were built and used during the American Civil War.
- Torpedoes, which are an important weapon used by submarines, were developed in the 19th century.
- The first nuclear-powered submarine was launched in 1954. It was named the USS Nautilus. Nuclear submarines are able to stay underwater longer than other types of submarines and are also able to move through the water faster.
- The Kursk, a Russian submarine, lost all of its 118 crew in 2000 following several explosions inside the vessel.
- Germans had submarines called U-boats that they used during World War I and World War II to attack the Allied Forces.
