India Thursday launched its second French-designed Scorpene-class diesel-electric attack submarine Khanderi at Mumbai's Mazagon Dock.

The submarine was separated from the pontoon on which it was assembled at the dock in Mumbai in the presence of India's junior Defense Minister Subhash Bhamre and Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in the morning.

The Indian Navy said that the submarine, named after an island fort of the Maratha forces in western India in the 17th century, will undergo sea trials till December this year before getting commissioned in the Indian Navy as INS Khanderi.

The Khanderi, which has superior stealth features and is capable of launching attacks with torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles both from surface or under water, can operate in all theatres, including the tropics.

Currently, the Indian Navy operates 13 conventionally powered submarines and two nuclear submarines. Endit

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