INS Sindhurakshak likely to be converted into training platform

New Delhi: INS Sindhurakshak, the submarine that sank in the naval dockyard in Mumbai in 2013 killing 18 of its crew, is likely to be converted into a training platform for Naval divers. Ten months after the ill-fated Russian-made Kilo-class submarine sank on August 14, 2013, it was raised with the help of the Indian arm of US-based M/S Resolve Marine.

"The Navy is still in the process of analysing what should be done with the submarine. This submarine will not be disposed off as scrap for sure. One of the option being looked into is to convert it into a training platform for divers," defence sources said.

Currently, there are different Boards that are looking into the various options for the submarine. One another option is to convert it into a memorial or even a museum, the sources said. The sinking was the Indian navy's biggest peacetime loss of a potent platform. The Navy has still not written off the submarine, which is being counted among the nine Kilo-class subs that the force operates.

"There is a huge process that one has to go through before something is written off. Various studies and cost calculations are done," the sources said.

They added that even for converting it into a training platform, lot of logistical issues are there. The government has said that the explosion on board INS Sindhurakshak was "probably induced" during the process of arming of the torpedoes and cannot be blamed on anyone. 

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that the accident cannot be blamed on anyone since none of the officers or sailors present inside the submarines survived.