Indian Navy Frees Cargo Ship From Somali Pirates After Shootout

The Voice of America reports that the Indian navy freed the hijacked MV Ruen cargo ship in Somalia’s Puntland region Saturday after a 24-hour standoff and shootout, and it has detained 35 pirates, according to Puntland Ports Minister Ahmed Yasin Salah. … Continue reading

Two Officers Die, Seven Sailors Injured in Fire on Indian Submarine Sindhuratna

Two Indian naval officers, Lieutenant Commander Kapish Muwal and Lieutenant Manoranjan Kumar, died in a fire on the submarine INS Sindhuratna.  Seven sailors were evacuated suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire broke out around 40 nautical miles off Mumbai early … Continue reading

Long Delayed Refurbished Russian Aircraft Carrier Finally Commissioned by India as INS Vikramaditya

The Indian Navy has finally taken delivery of a modified the Kiev class aircraft carrier, which it purchased from the Russians in 2002.  The ship was actually given to the Indian Navy with the stipulation that the estimated $800 million in … Continue reading

The Strange and Tragic Delivery of the Russian Submarine Nerpa

Next month, the Russian nuclear submarine, Nerpa, will be delivered to the Indian Navy, which has leased the submarine for a reported $900 million from the Russians for ten years with an option to buy.  The delivery of the new nuclear sub … Continue reading

The Other Russian Aircraft Carrier – the Costly Conversion of the Admiral Gorshkov to INS Vikramaditya

We recently posted about the Chinese conversion of the Russian aircraft carrier Varyag. China is not the only  country looking to surplus Russian aircraft carriers to expand their naval power.  India purchased the surplus carrier, Admiral Gorshkov, from the Russians … Continue reading

Hijacked MV Asphalt Venture – Ransom Paid, Hostages Kept

The MV Asphalt Venture was hijacked by Somali pirates on September 28, 2010.  After negotiating and being paid a multi-million dollar ransom, the pirates released the ship and part of the crew yesterday,  but continued to hold seven Indian seafarers hostage, reportedly in retaliation … Continue reading

INS Kalpeni Nabs 61 Pirates on Mother Ship, Frees 13 Hostages

Last Friday, the Indian Navy picked up as distress call from the container ship MV Vancouver Bridge, which was under attack by pirates  in the Indian Ocean, about 600 nautical miles off the Indian coast.  When spotted by an Indian patrol … Continue reading

Indian Navy’s New “Beautiful Lady” – Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini

The Indian Navy has launched its second sail training ship, INS Sudarshini. The name means “beautiful lady.”   She will be a three masted barquentine and will join  INS Tarangini, the Indian navy’s other sail training ship which was commissioned in 1997.  Both ships … Continue reading