In 2015, INS Sindhughosh collided with a fishing vessel off the western coast which resulted in minor damage to the submarine’s periscope. In February 2014, INS Sindhuratna had a fire incident onboard which led to the death of two officers. In another submarine accident, in August 2013, INS Sindhurakshak was damaged by blasts while it was berthed at the naval dockyard off the Mumbai coast. It had led to the death of fifteen sailors and three officers. In January 2008, INS Sindhughosh, another Kilo-class submarine, had collided with the foreign merchant vessel MV Leeds Castle while it was attempting to surface in waters near Mumbai. The Indian Navy has five Scorpene boats which are new with the sixth to be commissioned. But the Indian Navy’s underwater arm is operating submarines more than 20 years old, its manufacturing programmes are also running late. Meanwhile, China has been augmenting its naval power with the continuous deployment of warships and submarines into the Indian Ocean. China has become the biggest Navy with 355 warships and submarines while India’s total fleet strength is 130. At present, there are 16 submarines of various classes operating with the force. These include the five Kalvari (Scorpene) class, four Shishumar (HDW SSKs)) class and seven Sindhughosh classes.
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