News Brief
In Pictures: Indian Submarine Seen Transiting Through Malacca, Singapore Straits; Likely Headed Towards South China Sea
Swarajya Staff
Jun 04, 2021, 12:30 PM | Updated 02:19 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
A submarine of the Indian Navy was seen transiting through the Malacca and Singapore Straits on Thursday and Friday ( 3 and 4 March).
The boat, most likely the 8,000-tonne nuclear-powered attack submarine INS Chakra (launched as K-152 Nerpa in October 2008), is headed towards Vladivostok, automatic identification system (AIS) data suggests. It may pass through the South China Sea on its journey towards the Russian port.
AIS ping from the #Malaccastrait spots a possible #IndianNavy submarine as it navigates shallow waters, the voluntary display of position or AIS spoofing clearing underlines political signaling, historic data shows the vessel left port on May 27, 2021 pic.twitter.com/eyb4XIOi09
— d-atisâ ï¸ (@detresfa_) June 3, 2021
According to AIS data posted by open-source intelligence handle @detresfa_ , the submarine left Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on 27 May.
Euan Graham, a security expert based in Singapore, posted the pictures in which the boat can be seen crossing the Singapore Strait, which lies between the Strait of Malacca in the west and the South China Sea in the east.
Indian Navy submarine transiting through the Singapore Strait just now, clearing St Johnâs Island. @abhijit227 @supbrow @DrIanHall @IISS_org @CollinSLKoh @OlliSuorsa @Rory_Medcalf @AbhijnanRej pic.twitter.com/gJBzfwZnjG
— Euan Graham (@graham_euan) June 4, 2021
The submarine was leased by the Indian Navy from Russia in 2011.
Reports say the submarine is going back to Russia as the ten year lease for the submarine ends in January 2022.
India has already signed a $3 billion deal with the Russian government to lease another nuclear-powered attack submarine. The leased submarine is expected to take at least five years to be ready for induction into the Indian Navy.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.