ISPR: Pakistan intercepts Indian Navy’s Kalvari-class submarine in its waters

Pakistan Navy has tracked and intercepted the Indian Navy’s Kalvari-class submarine, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media and PR wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, revealed.

The navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Unit tracked the submarine on 1 March to prevent it from entering the Pakistani waters.

According to the press office, this is the fourth detection of an Indian submarine near Pakistani waters in the last 5 years.

In a detailed statement, director of ISPR Major general Babar Iftikhar noted that during the ongoing Pakistan Navy Exercise SEASPARK-22, “the possibility of an Indian unit lurking into Pakistan maritime zone for reconnaissance and gathering information on exercise was anticipated.”

“Therefore, strict monitoring watch and stringent vigilance procedures were enforced. Resultantly, Pakistan Navy anti-submarine warfare unit took the lead and prematurely intercepted and tracked the latest Indian submarine Kalvari on March 1,” he also stated.

The exercise SEASPARK-22, which is held biennially, commenced on 18 February in Karachi. It is organized to assess Pakistan Navy’s readiness and validate operational plans against future threats.

The Project 75 Kalvari-class submarines include six diesel-electric submarines, three of which had been commissioned as of October 2021. The first submarine INS Kalvari entered into service in 2017.

The fifth submarine INS Vagir started sea trials last month.

Designed by French company Naval Group, the submarines are built in India under a transfer of technology agreement.

Kalvari class has an overall length of 67.5 meters and a height of about 12.3 meters. Its 360 battery cells (each weighing 750 kg) power the permanently magnetized propulsion motor.

The boat is equipped with the Submarine Tactical Integrated Combat System (SUBTICS), sea-skimming SM 39 Exocet missiles (Flying Fish in French), or the heavyweight wire-guided Surface and Underwater Target (SUT) torpedoes. Kalvari is also fitted with mobile C303/S anti-torpedo decoys.