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Hans India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
India's naval prowess: INS Surat played pivotal role during Operation Sindoor
Surat: INS Surat, India's advanced stealth-guided missile destroyer, played a significant role during the recently conducted 'Operation Sindoor' while being deployed in the Arabian Sea, revealed its commanding officer, Captain Sandeep Shorey, on Wednesday. Designed to dominate across all dimensions of naval warfare - surface, air, and underwater - INS Surat stands as a symbol of India's growing maritime strength and indigenous defence capabilities. Commissioned in January 2025 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, this powerful warship is named after the historic port city of Surat in Gujarat. Speaking to IANS, Captain Shorey highlighted the warship's capabilities: 'The salient feature of INS Surat is that it's a true multi-role destroyer. It can detect, classify, and neutralise enemy targets - whether in the air, on the surface, or underwater. We are equipped with cutting-edge weaponry and sensors. Powered by gas turbines, the ship reaches a speed of 30 knots, and with its extended endurance, we can remain on mission for long durations.' INS Surat is the fourth and final ship of the Visakhapatnam-class destroyers built under Project 15B, following the legacy of the Delhi, Kolkata, and Visakhapatnam classes. It is one of the largest and most advanced destroyers in the world today, with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and an overall length of 164 metres. The warship features 75 per cent indigenous content and is India's first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled naval vessel. It incorporates AI-driven systems developed domestically to enhance operational efficiency across combat and navigation functions. Armed to the teeth, INS Surat is equipped with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, torpedoes, IRL rocket launchers capable of firing 150 rockets simultaneously, and an anti-aircraft gun that can discharge 4,000 rounds in just 60 seconds. The ship also houses advanced radar systems for air and underwater tracking and comes with two integral helicopters for extended reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare. Constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, the destroyer was designed by the Indian Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau. Its deployment in Operation Sindoor not only underscores its strategic importance but also marks a milestone in India's naval modernisation and self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
India Today
15-06-2025
- General
- India Today
A sea full of troubles for Kerala
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated June 23, 2025)In the span of just two weeks, Kerala's 600-kilometre shoreline—a ribbon of emerald backwaters and bustling fishing hamlets—has been rattled by two catastrophic maritime mishaps involving cargo ships, sending shockwaves through its coastal communities and unfurling environmental red first blow came on May 25, when the Liberian-flagged MSC Elsa 3, a hulking vessel carrying 643 containers, succumbed to a suspected mechanical failure and sank 14.6 nautical miles off the Thottappally coast. The ship, sailing between the Vizhinjam and Kochi ports, had 24 crew members, rescued well in time. But the real trouble lay beneath the waves: several containers of hazardous cargo, now submerged or bobbing ashore in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha. Salvage crews are still racing to prevent the ship's fuel tanks from leaking oil, but the greater menace may be the plastic nurdles—tiny, insidious pellets used in plastic manufacturing—scattered across the water, a synthetic blizzard in the middle of fish-breeding Kerala's coast was still catching its breath, the sea had other plans. On June 9, the Singapore-registered MV Wan Hai 503, a floating warehouse of 650 containers, erupted in flames and explosions further north, 43 nautical miles off the Azhikkal coast. The ship, bound from Colombo to Mumbai, had 22 crew members. Four are missing and two of the 18 rescued have severe burns. Five coast guard ships and the navy's INS Surat were deployed, but the fire, fed by volatile cargo—nitrocellulose, benzophenone, magnesium, turpentine, ethanol—proved a stubborn adversary. Adding to the peril, the vessel's 2,000 tonnes of marine oil and 240 tonnes of diesel sit precariously close to 32 tonnes of alcohol, making for a lethally inflammable cocktail. 'Our priority is to carry out salvage operations and minimise the oil spill. The task is very challenging,' says Commander Atul Pillai, defence PRO for Kerala and AFTER THE WRECKBack in Kochi, the bureaucratic machinery has lurched into motion. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has set up two high-level committees—one at the state level and another at the district level—to coordinate relief and environmental assessments. 'The state has taken all necessary precautions [to contain] maritime casualties and is conducting environmental and social impact studies on the Kerala coast,' says chief secretary A. Jayathilak. 'Now, our priority is to assess [immediate] losses and extend relief to the affected coastal communities.' The state, after some foot-dragging, has also filed a criminal case against Mediterranean Shipping Company, the Geneva-headquartered operator of the MSC Elsa 3. With the southwest monsoon back at orange alert levels and a statewide trawling ban in effect since June 10, the dual disasters have dealt a double blow to Kerala's 1.13 million-strong fishing community. 'These shipwrecks have compounded the fisherfolk's hardships,' says T.J. Anjalose, state president of the All India Trade Union Congress. 'They are finding more plastic than fish. The state must compensate them for the losses and press for a thorough investigation by the Directorate General of Shipping.'The predominantly fish-eating state is also increasingly concerned about the toxic pollution washing up along its once-pristine coastlines. Dr Anu Gopinath, head of the aquatic environment management department at Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) in Kochi, has warned of serious long-term consequences. 'We must conduct detailed monitoring on the impact of the shipwrecks. The Wan Hai vessel has tonnes of inflammable and toxic substances, including pesticides, that may threaten aquatic ecosystems with far-reaching and serious consequences,' she says. The Kochi-based Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), initially tasked with investigating coastal pollution after the MSC Elsa 3 wreck, has now begun collecting seawater samples near the Wan Hai mishap site as well to detect the presence of harmful chemicals. As salvage crews toil against time and tide, Kerala finds itself at an inflection point. V.J. Mathew, former chairman of the Kerala Maritime Board, argues that with the Vizhinjam port expanding, the state needs a permanent maritime monitoring system and tougher legal mechanisms. 'Shipping companies must be held accountable,' he says. The immediate crisis will fade, as all crises do. But without urgent reforms—stricter regulations and enforcement for hazardous cargo movement and long-term ecological surveillance—Kerala's fragile marine habitats, and the lives that depend on them, may be doomed to relive these disasters, again and to India Today MagazineTune InMust Watch
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Five injured foreign crew members continue to remain in hospital
Five foreign nationals, who were injured in the fire that stuck Singapore-flagged container ship on June 9 off Kerala coast, continue to get treatment at the private hospital in Mangaluru. Two crew members Lu Yanli from China and Sonitur Haeni from Indonesia, who had serious injuries, were in the hospital's intensive care unit. Of the four crew members who were injured, Guo Linino of China was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday. The remaining three injured persons - Xu Pabao of China, Thein Than Htay of Myanmar and Kyi Zaw Htoo of Myanmar – continue with the treatment at the hospital, the hospital sources said. Eighteen crew members, including the six injured personnel, were rescued from the container ship MV Wan Hai 503. They were brought in the Indian Navy vessel INS Surat to the New Mangalore Port around 11 p.m. on June 9. The six injured crew members were admitted to the private hospital, while the remaining crew members moved to a hotel in the city.
Hans India
11-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
18 rescued from blaze-hit ship brought to Mangaluru: two criticial
Mangaluru: Eighteen crew members rescued from the blaze-hit Singapore-flagged container ship were safely brought to the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) Coast Guard berth at Panambur by Indian Naval Ship INS Surat. Among the rescued, two are said to be in critical condition, while four sustained minor injuries and 12 others suffered varying levels of trauma. The injured were evacuated and transported to AJ Hospital in Kuntikana here late on Monday night. 'The critically injured were stabilised onboard INS Surat and shifted on arrival under close medical supervision. Immediate evacuation was our priority,' a Coast Guard official told reporters. He added that immigration, port, and police authorities worked in unison to ensure a seamless handover and medical transfer. Speaking to media here, Dinesh Kadam, Plastic Surgeon at AJ Hospital said, 'Around 11.30 pm, six of them were bought by the coast guard. They were all on the ship on the vessel. They had not jumped into water as it was reported. They were all in the vessel and were rescued from lifeboat by the coastguard.' 'Out of six, two are critically injured. One has 40 per cent burns and another 30 per cent. The one who sustained 40 per cent burns is a 47-year-old male, a Chinese national. He is an engineer. He sustained burns on the face, upper and lower limbs. They both have airway burns that is much more serious. Airway burns is one thing which is likely to worsen in next few hours or few days,' he said. According to the doctor, both also have deep burns so they may probably require some surgical procedures later. 'Right now, they are stable. They are conscious, they can speak and take some liquids also. Their vitals are okay, but they are being intensely monitored in the ICU.' Giving details of the condition of four others, he said one of them is in the observation room. He has deep facial burns but is conscious oriented and taking food orally. 'Other three are ok. They are quite cheerful. They don't have much burn injuries, but they have impacts also. Some have cut injuries, tooth loss.... There is a leak of chemical substance also because one of them (patient) said that he touched some liquid which was flowing out and sustained burns. But those are minor burns,' he added. The ship MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire on Sunday in the Arabian Sea off Kerala coast, had 22 crew members on board. While 18 have now been rescued, four remain unaccounted for. Search and rescue operations are ongoing. Port workers described emotional scenes as the injured disembarked — some helped by fellow crewmates, others in stretchers, whispering prayers of gratitude or anxiously inquiring about their missing colleagues.
India Today
10-06-2025
- General
- India Today
China thanks India for rescuing crew of Singapore-flagged ship that caught fire
A day after the Indian Navy successfully rescued the crew of a Singapore-flagged vessel after it caught fire off the Kerala coast, China expressed gratitude to of the Chinese Embassy in India, Yu Jing, thanked the Indian Navy and Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue of the crew, which included 14 Chinese nationals."Our gratitude goes to the Indian Navy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue. We wish further search operations successful and the injured crew members speedy recovery," Yu Jing wrote on On Monday morning, a Singapore-flagged container ship, MV Wan Hai 503, with 22 crew members on board caught fire following an explosion off the coast of Beypore in Kozhikode, Kerala. According to Yu Jing, the vessel had 22 crew members on board, including 14 Chinese nationals, six of whom are from Indian Navy, in a swift response, diverted INS Surat, which was scheduled to dock in Kochi, to provide immediate assistance. The Indian Coast Guard deployed multiple assets, including ICGS Rajdoot from off New Mangalore, ICGS Arnvesh from off Kochi, and ICGS Sachet from off Agatti. The CG Dornier aircraft on task was also diverted for assessment. The forward bay fire was brought under control, but thick smoke continued to rise from the vessel.18 crew members were recovered and brought to Mangaluru late on Monday, while four remain on Tuesday, issued an oil spill advisory while a Chinese engineer rescued from the burning vessel suffered critical injuries, PTI InMust Watch
