Indian Navy’s second Scorpene class submarine ‘Khanderi’ will be launched at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai on January 12.

The launch will start a trail of events, which will lead to the separation of the submarine from the pontoon on which it is being assembled and its final setting afloat, an official release said.

Meanwhile, the first submarine Kalvari is close to completing sea trials and likely to be inducted into the Navy by the middle of this year.

Built with assistance and technology transfer from DCNS and others of France and under a $3.75-billion deal signed in October 2005,these submarines are being built using modular approach in which different sections are built separately and later assembled on a pontoon.

The state-of-the-art features of this Scorpene class submarine include superior stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons. The attack can be launched with torpedoes, as well as tube-launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on surface. The stealth features will give it an invulnerability, unmatched by many submarines.