By : Outlook

Indian Navy was today handed over its upgraded Kilo-class submarine 'Sindhuvijay' by Russia for sea trials after having armed the warship with sophisticated 'Club-S' missiles with a strike range of 200 kms.

The submarine, built by Russia in 1990, is the fourth such war marchine of the Indian Navy to be upgraded in the last 11 years.

It has been modernised with Indian-made equipment including USHUS sonar complex and the CCS-MK radio communications system, official sources said.

The diesel-powered INS Sindhuvijay, now equipped with Russian Club-S underwater-to-surface missile system, can destroy warships and land targets at a distance of up to 200 kilometres.

The submarine was "undocked" for sea trials at a ceremony in the Severodvinsk-based 'Zvyozdochka' nuclear submarine repairs shipyard in the presence of Deputy Chief of Indian Mission in Russia Divyabh Manchanda. The trials will be carried out in the White Sea.

INS Sindhuvijay, which has a displacement of 2,300 tonnes, length of 72.6 metres and speed of 17 knots, was built in St. Petersburg in 1990 and is the fourth Indian submarine to be upgraded in 11 years by the 'Zvyozdochka' shipyards.