The Navy on Wednesday inducted the indigenously built heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo ' Varunastra', thereby, making India one of the eight countries in the world having the capability to design and build such a weapon system.
The torpedo was developed by the Naval Science and Technological laboratory(NSTl), a premier laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO). Presiding over the induction ceremony here, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar lauded DRDO for the successful effort and directed it not to have a hands-off approach after developing the torpedo and transferring the technology to Bharat Dynamic limited(BDl) for serial production.
"You cannot be a hospital where a child is born. You will have to stay along at least till the child is able to stand up and run around," Parrikar said. He also suggested placing a small DRDO team with BDl for a limited period. The minister said the DRDO should also rope in a private company for future projects to promote healthy competition and said possibilities should be explored for exporting 'Varunastra' to other countries.
Sale of 'Varunastra,' weighing around 1.25 tons carrying 250 kg of explosives and capable of travelling at a speed of 40 nautical miles an hour, was one of the issues that came up for discussion during Parrikar's recent visit to Vietnam, officials said. The other weapon systems to figure in the talks with the Vietnamese top brass was indigenously designed Brahmos supersonic cruise missile. However, the government is yet to take a decision.
Having almost 95 per cent indigenous content, 'Varunastra,' costing about Rs 10-12 crore per unit, is capable of targeting quiet and stealthy submarines, both in deep and littoral waters in intense counter-measure environment.
Terming its induction as a "game changer" in favour of warships in the sub surface warfare, Navy chief Admiral Sunil lanba said successful induction has put "Indian navy in elite club of navies across the globe that can boast of self-reliance in under water sensors and under water weapons,"
