Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre on Thursday launched Khanderi, the second of the Kalvari Class submarines, at the Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai.

"I am confident that the day is not too far when MDL (Mazagon Dock Limited) will build submarines for other nations as well," Bhamre said at the launch of second Scorpene class submarine Khanderi.

The launch saw the separation of the submarine from the pontoon on which it is being assembled and to its final setting afloat.

The first submarine of the Kalvari Class - built by MDL in collaboration with France's DCNS as part of Project 75 - is currently completing its sea trials and is due to be commissioned into the Indian Navy soon.

The state-of-the-art feature of the Scorpene include superior stealth and ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons.

The attacks can be carried out with torpedoes, tube-launched anti-ship missiles both while underwater or on surface in all theatres including the tropics, giving it invulnerability unmatched by many other submarines.

It can undertake multifarious missions like anti-surface and anti-submarine warfares, intelligence gathering, mine-laying, area surveillance, etc, that are typically undertaken by any modern submarine.

The Khanderi has been built on the "modular construction" technique, which divided it into several sections and outfitting them concurrently, a complex task involving laying kms of cabling and piping in extremely congested compartments. 

All the equipment have been installed in the submarine with 95 percent cabling and piping completed while processes like pressure testing, setting-to-work and commissioner of various systems are currently underway and continue after it is launched.

The most important safety milestone of "vacuum testing" was completed in the very first attempt on a single day, January 5 (last Thursday), matching the record of Kalvari which also completed it in one shot - a feat unmatched in submarine construction history.

Accordingly, the first ship "Khanderi" was commissioned on December 6, 1968 and decommissioned in October 1989, before being "reincarnated" by MDL as a powerful predator of the deep waters, guarding the vast maritime interests and territories of India.

The launch of Khanderi also marks a generational shift in technology for submarine construction in India and operations by the Indian Navy.