Name Pondicherry class Subclasses Karwar class Completed 12 | Operators Indian Navy In commission 1978– | |
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Succeeded by Future Indian minehunter class | ||
The Pondicherry class are a class of minesweepers built for the Indian Navy by the Soviet Union. They are modified versions of the Natya-class minesweeper. The vessels were acquired in two batches. The first were purchased from 1978 to 1980 and the second from 1986 to 1988. Technically, the second batch is referred to as the Karwar class but are physically identical to the first batch with the exception of additional surface-to-air missiles. As minesweepers, they are large and heavily armed. They can serve a dual purpose as an anti-submarine warfare escort. Their hulls are constructed of U3 low magnetic signature steel.
M61–M66 were based at Mumbai formed the 19 Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCMS) and were decommissioned by the March 2015. M67–M72 are based at Visakhapatnam and form the 21 Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCMS).
INS Konkan suffered minor fire accident in Vizag dry dock on 4 December 2013. She was operational by January 2014.