The Indian Navy command retired Soviet minesweepers but did not find a replacement for them. For the past six years, the fleet has not had a single mine countermeasures vessel. This was stated by military analyst Vijayner Thakur in an article for the Eurasian Times.
The last Pondicherry-class minesweeper, built in the USSR, was decommissioned on April 13, 2019.
Indian Navy's Request to Upgrade Mine Countermeasures
In August 2023, the Indian Navy published a request for information (one of the first steps before announcing a tender) for the purchase of 12 vessels equipped with anti-submarine and mine countermeasures. The mine warfare complex on these vessels may include underwater drones and remotely operated mine clearance vehicles.
Orders will be distributed among shipyards that offer the best price. The delivery time for the 12 vessels is between 2030-2037.
The Eurasian Times analyst suggested studying the development of Russian specialists.
About the Latest Russian Underwater Mine Clearance Drone
In late January 2025, it became known that Russia had created an underwater mine clearance drone. The device is capable of moving underwater at high speed and detecting mines at depths of several hundred meters.
The drone can operate in waves up to 3 points and at a great distance from the carrier ship. It is equipped with several wide-angle, high-resolution video cameras.
According to a military analyst, the Russian drone is more effective than mine countermeasures ships.
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