INS Shardul (2004)
 INS Shardul (L16) at Port Luis, Mauritius | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 India | |
| Name | INS Shardul |
| Namesake | Royal Bengal tiger[1] |
| Ordered | 2003 |
| Builder | Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers |
| Launched | 3 April 2004 |
| Commissioned | 4 January 2007 |
| Homeport | INS Kadamba, Karwar, Western Naval Command |
| Identification | |
| Motto | All for one, One for all |
| Status | In active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Shardul-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement | 5650 tons |
| Length | 125 m (410 ft) |
| Beam | 17.5 m (57 ft) |
| Draught | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Propulsion | Kirloskar PA6 STC engines |
| Speed | 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Capacity |
|
| Troops | 500 |
| Complement | 11 officers, 145 sailors |
| Electronic warfare & decoys | Chaff launchers |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 1 Westland Sea King or HAL Dhruv |
INS Shardul (L16) is the lead ship of the Shardul-class tank landing ship of the Indian Navy. On 3 October 2008, Shardul was affiliated to the 5 Armoured Regiment of the Indian Army in an on-board ceremony, at the Mumbai Naval Base.[2][3][4]
History
Shardul started sea trials on 3 November 2006 and was commissioned into the Indian Navy, on 4 January 2007 by the then Defence Minister A. K. Antony at the naval base INS Kadamba in Karwar. The ship was based at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi to train cadets before the commissioning of INS Kesari and INS Airavat.[5] In March 2017 the ship was deployed on a two-month-long deployment in the south Indian Ocean to provide surveillance support in the region.[6] On March 10, 2020, INS Shardul arrived at Port Antsiranana with relief material for Madagascar, after Cyclone Diane and floods earlier in the year. 600 tonnes of rice were handed over. This is the biggest relief load ever carried by any Indian warship.[7]
On 1 October 2024, Indian Navy's First Training Squadron, including INS Tir, INS Shardul and ICGS Veera, reached Bandar Abbas, Iran for training purposes. The Indian flotilla was greeted by IRIS Zereh (P235) of the Iran Navy. The objective of the visit was enhancing maritime cooperation and interoperability.[8][9][10] On 5 October 2024, the First Training Squadron reached Muscat, Oman, the third time in the last decade. The flotilla will stay their until 9 October.[11] On 12 October 2024, INS Shardul reached Port Rashid at Dubai, UAE.[12] On 16 October 2024, Shardul concluded her visit to Dubai with a Maritime Partnership Exercise with the United Arab Emirates Navy's Al Quwaisat.[13]
References
- ^ Habbu, R.S. (5 January 2007). "INS Shardul dedicated". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 January 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ^ "5 Armoured Regiment". GlobalSecurity.org. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ^ "Surface Ships". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 25 March 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ^ "Shardul Class". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ^ 'INS Shardul' engaged in training for naval cadets Archived 2 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Indian navy's INS Shardul to provide surveillance support in Indian Ocean region". Hindustan Times. IANS. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ "India delivers 600 tonnes of rice to flood-hit Madagascar". New Indian Express. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ "India docks naval warships at Iran port as war escalates. Is this a strategic response to the Middle-East strife?". The Economic Times. 4 October 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "Navy ships in Iran as part of training". The Times of India. 2 October 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "Amid Middle East Tensions, Indian Warships Dock in Iran – A Bold Strategic Move". Financialexpress. 2 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "LONG RANGE TRAINING DEPLOYMENT OF FIRST TRAINING SQUADRON TO MUSCAT, OMAN". Press Information Bureau. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ "VISIT OF FIRST TRAINING SQUADRON TO BAHRAIN AND UAE". Press Information Bureau. 13 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ SNS (18 October 2024). "INS Shardul engages in joint naval drills with UAE, strengthening maritime partnership". The Statesman. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
External links