INS Chennai

Third Kolkata class Stealth guided missile destroyer of the Indian Navy

Chennai (D65) at sea.

History
India
Name| Chennai
Namesake| Chennai
Operator| Indian Navy
Builder| Mazagon Dock Limited
Laid down| February 2006
Launched| 1 April 2010[1]
Completed| 12 November 2015
Commissioned| 21 Nov 2016[2][3][4]
Motto| Shatro Sanharaka ("Vanquisher of Enemies")[5]
Status| In active service
General characteristics
Type| Guided-missile destroyer
Displacement| 7,400 t (7,300 long tons; 8,200 short tons) full load[6][7][8]
Length| 163 m (534 ft 9 in)
Beam| 17.4 m (57 ft 1 in)
Draught| 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
Propulsion| Combined gas and gas system: 4 × Zorya-Mashproekt DT-59 reversible gas turbines producing 16.55MW each[9][10]
Speed| 30 knots (56 km/h)
Range| 6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement| 300 (50 officers + 250 sailors)
Sensors &
processing systems|

* Radar :-
* IAI EL/M-2248 MF-STAR S-band AESA multi-function radar[11]
* Thales LW-08 D-band air search radar[12]
* Garpun Bal (3TS-25E) radar [13]
* Sonar :-
* BEL HUMSA-NG bow sonar
* BEL Nagin active towed array sonar[14]
* Combat Suite :-
* BEL EMCCA Mk4 combat management system[11]

Electronic warfare
& decoys|

* BEL Ellora electronic support measures[15]
* Decoys :-
* 4 × Kavach decoy launchers
* 2 × Maareech torpedo-countermeasure systems[15]

Armament|

* Anti-air warfare :-
* 4 × 8-cell VLS, for a total of 32 Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles
* Anti-surface warfare :-
* 2 × 8-cell VLS, for 16 BrahMos anti-ship missiles
* Anti-submarine warfare :-
* 4 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
* 2 × RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
* Guns :-
* 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun
* 4 x AK-630 CIWS

Aircraft carried| 2 × Sea King or HAL Dhruv helicopters
Aviation facilities| Dual Enclosed hangar

INS Chennai (D65) is the third and last ship of the Kolkata-class stealth guided missile destroyers of the Indian Navy.[16] She was constructed by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) at Mumbai. On 17 April 2017, INS Chennai was dedicated to the city of Chennai in the presence of then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, K. Palaniswamy.[17]

INS Chennai has on her seal a Bull symbolising the Jallikattu festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu from where the ship associates its heritage.

## Construction

[edit]

She was laid down in February 2006, and was launched on 2 April 2010 by the then Defence Minister AK Antony's wife Elizabeth Antony at a function in Mumbai, and was commissioned on 21 November 2016 by the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.[2][18] INS Chennai is the first naval ship named after Chennai, capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu, India.[19] Captain C. R. Praveen Nair was the commissioning commanding officer.[20]

## Features

[edit]

The India-designed ship is designed to have state of the art weapons and sensors, stealth features, an advanced action information system, a comprehensive auxiliary control system, world class modular living spaces, sophisticated power distribution system and a host of other advanced features. These ships integrate many new features and involve design changes that ensure a far more advanced weapons platforms compared to the earlier Project 15 ships.

The ship's air defence capability, designed to counter the threat of enemy aircraft and anti-ship cruise missiles, revolve around the vertical launch, long range surface-to-air missile system, co-developed by DRDO.

Four AK-630 rapid-fire guns will provide the ship with close-in-defence capability while an MR gun will enable her to provide effective naval gunfire support.

India-developed twin tube torpedo launchers and rocket launchers will add punch to the ship's anti-submarine capability.

INS Chennai is designed to carry the supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface missile system. The system enables the ship to engage shore-based and naval surface targets at long range making it a lethal platform for strike against enemy targets.

## Service History

[edit]

INS Chennai, along with INS Sunayna was sent to the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in June 2019 to protect Indian shipping interests amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.[21]

### Cooperative Engagement Capability

[edit]

On 15 May 2019, INS Chennai along with INS Kochi participated in the maiden cooperative engagement firing through the employment of the full Joint Taskforce Coordination (JTC) mode which implements the MRSAM / Barak 8 'Cooperative Engagement' operating mode.[22][23][24][25]The maiden tests of indigenous Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rockets were conducted on INS Chennai on April 3rd 2023.[26]

### Operation Sankalp: 2023-24 anti-piracy patrols

[edit]

Main article: Operation Sankalp

Against the backdrop of the increasing attacks on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea by the end of 2023, the Indian Navy stated on December 31, 2023 that it had substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in Central and North Arabian Sea by deploying the P-8I Neptune MPA and the SeaGuardian drones.[27] Following attacks on two merchant vessels, MV Ruen and MV Chem Pluto, anti piracy patrols were enhanced with a naval task force. MV Ruen was hijacked (later rescued by INS Kolkata), while MV Chem Pluto sustained drone hits and made it into Indian waters. The Indian Navy deployed a large flotilla of destroyers to safeguard international security including INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Mormugao, INS Chennai and INS Visakhapatnam.[28] The INS Kolkata is deployed in the Red Sea, INS Kochi is deployed by the south of Yemen's Socotra Island, INS Mormugao is in the west Arabian Sea with INS Chennai in the central Arabian Sea. INS Visakhapatnam was also moved to patrol the north Arabian Sea.[28]

On 4 January 2024, the cargo vessel MV Lila Norfolk sailing from Port Du Aco in Brazil and bound for Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain was hijacked by pirates 460 nautical miles east off Somalia. It had sent a message indicating boarding by around five to six unknown armed personnel. Of the 21 crew members, 15 were Indian and the other 6 hailed from the Philippines.[29] INS Chennai was deployed to render assistance while a maritime patrol aircraft overflew the vessel the next morning and established contact with the vessel.[30][31][32] On 5 January 2024, after providing warnings, the MARCOS commandos from the INS Chennai boarded the ship to rescue all crew members. The pirates had abandoned ship prior to the boarding.[33]

Following a lengthy patrol, Chennai returned to the Port of Chennai on February 16 to participate in exercise MILAN 2024.[34][35]

## Gallery

[edit]

* INS Chennai (D65) with JMSDF JS Kaga during JIMEX 2020.

* INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi (DD-107) during JIMEX 2020.

* INS Chennai (D65) fires its weapons during Malabar 2020.

* INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi during JIMEX 2020.

* INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi.

* INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi during JIMEX 2020 - Top view.

* INS Chennai steams alongside the USS Princeton (CG-59) in the North Arabian Sea during Malabar 2020 exercise.

## See also

[edit]

* INS Kolkata \- Sister ship and first of the class.
* INS Kochi \- Sister ship and second of the class.
* HMIS Madras (J237)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "India's 3rd indigenous naval destroyer launched". CNN-News18. 1 April 2010.
2. ^ a b "Guided Missile Destroyer INS Chennai Joins the Indian Navy" (Press release). Indian Navy. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
3. ^ "Largest-ever 'Made-in-India' warship INS Chennai commissioned". The Times of India. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
4. ^ "Project 15A to end with commissioning of INS Chennai on Monday". Business Standard. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
5. ^ "Indigenous INS Chennai will be commissioned on Monday". The Sunday Guardian Live. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
6. ^ "Navy gets its largest destroyer". The Hindu. 13 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
7. ^ "INS Kolkata". indiannavy.nic.in. Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 16 June 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
8. ^ INS Kolkata: embarquement immédiat. l'express. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
9. ^ Siddiqui, Huma (5 October 2015). "INS Kochi turbocharged". The Financial Express. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018.
10. ^ Bedi, Rahul (18 August 2014). "India commissions first-of-class destroyer Kolkata". IHS Jane's Navy International. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014.
11. ^ a b "Country's most potent indigenous warship joins service this month". SP's Naval Forces. 8 June 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
12. ^ "Bharat Electronics Ltd. awards LW08 contract to Thales". Thalesgroup.com. 2 July 2008. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
13. ^ "Virtual tour of INS Kolkata (Hindi)". YouTube.
14. ^ "Kolkata Class Destroyer INS Chennai will be commissioned on Monday". India Today. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
15. ^ a b Som, Vishnu (29 September 2015). "Inside India's New and Deadliest Warship". NDTV. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
16. ^ "Kolkata Class Guided Missile Destroyers, India". Naval Technology. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
17. ^ "Naval ship dedicated to Chennai city". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 17 April 2017.
18. ^ "Warship INS Chennai commissioned by Indian Navy". SSB Interview Tips. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
19. ^ "Project 15-A destroyer, INS Kochi To be launched on 18 Sep 2009". PIB. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
20. ^ "Capt Praveen Nair commands INS Chennai; many desi systems on board". English.Mathrubhumi. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
21. ^ "India warships sent to strategic Gulf waters: Navy".
22. ^ "Press Information Bureau".
23. ^ "Indian Navy Demonstrates 'MRSAM 'Cooperative Engagement' Capability". 17 May 2019.
24. ^ "Indian Navy completes MRSAM first cooperative engagement firing test". 20 May 2019.
25. ^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news".
26. ^ Thakur, Vijainder K. (9 July 2025). "Big Leap For Indian Navy's Anti-Submarine Capability; DRDO Tests Extended Range Anti-Sub Rocket". EURASIAN TIMES. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
27. ^ Peri, Dinakar (31 December 2023). "Attacks on ships: Indian Navy enhances surveillance in Arabian Sea". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
28. ^ a b "Indian Navy deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to enhance maritime security - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
29. ^ "Indian Navy thwarts hijack attempt, rescues 21 crew members, including 15 Indians". The Times of India. 5 January 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
30. ^ "INS Chennai moving towards hijacked vessel off Somalia coast; 15 Indians aboard". Hindustan Times. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
31. ^ "Navy sends INS Chennai to assist vessel hijacked in Arabian Sea, 15 Indians aboard". The Indian Express. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
32. ^ Peri, Dinakar (5 January 2024). "Indian Navy responds to hijack attempt of a Liberian-flagged vessel in Arabian Sea, deploys INS Chennai". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
33. ^ "Indian Navy commandos board hijacked ship, rescue all 21 on board".
34. ^ "INS Chennai to visit Chennai". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
35. ^ "Warship returns from Somalia to Chennai port after anti-piracy ops". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 February 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Destroyers of the Indian Navy

Commissioned ships|

| Visakhapatnam class|

* Visakhapatnam
* Mormugao
* Imphal
* Surat

|

Kolkata class|

* Kolkata
* Kochi
* Chennai

Delhi class|

* Delhi
* Mysore
* Mumbai

Rajput class|

* Rana
* Ranvir
* Ranvijay

Decommissioned ships|

| Rajput class|

* Ranjit
* Rajput

|

R class|

* Rajput
* Ranjit
* Rana

Hunt class|

* Godavari
* Gomati
* Ganga

Future ships|

| Project 18 Next Generation Destroyers|

5 to 10 vessels

|

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