The Indian Navy’s submarine INS Sindhudhvaj was on Saturday decommissioned after 35 years of service.

The Decommissioning event was attended by of the former Commanding Officers including Cmde SP Singh (Retd), the Commissioning CO and 26 Commissioning crew veterans. Vice Adm Biswajit Dasgupta Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command was the Chief Guest for the ceremony.

The submarine crest depicts a gray colour nurse shark and the name means flag bearer at sea. Sindhudhvaj, as the name suggests, was the flag bearer of indigenisation and Indian Navy's efforts towards achieving Atmanirbharta in the Russian-built Sindhughosh class submarines throughout her journey in the navy. She had many firsts to her credit including operationalisation of the indigenised sonar USHUS, Indigenised Satellite Communication systems Rukmani and MSS, Inertial Navigation System and Indigenised Torpedo Fire Control System, said the Ministry of Defence.

The submarine also successfully undertook mating and personnel transfer with Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel and is the only submarine to be awarded CNS Rolling Trophy for Innovation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The ceremony was conducted at sunset, with an overcast sky adding to the solemnity of the occasion when the Decommissioning Pennant was lowered and the submarine was paid off after a glorious patrol of 35 years.