INS Kuthar (P46) explained

INS Kuthar (P46) is a, currently in service with the Indian Navy. It was designed by Indian naval architects and built at the Mazagon Dock in Mumbai. INS Kuthar was part of Western Naval Command till 1998 later it moved to be part of Eastern Naval Command.^[1] It was damaged in a mishap that occurred on 15 July 2014. The mishap occurred after the naval ship returned to its base in the Andaman and Nicobar Command in rough weather after completing a mission.^[2]

Etymology

The INS Kuthar is named after a kuthar, the Hindi word for a handheld battle axe.^[3]

Maritime exercise

• Kuthar was one of the six ships of Eastern Naval Command which was part of a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal on the eve of Navy week celebrations in the year 2005.^[4]
• Missile corvette Kuthar along with INS Satpura and INS Ranvijay represented the Indian Navy in the first ever Japan-India maritime exercise (JIMEX) which was held in the Bay of Bengal from 19 December to 22 December 2013.^[5]

Incidents

• Sub Lieutenant Tejveer Singh died on Tuesday October 11, 2016 onboard the INS Kuthar after he accidentally fired his 9mm pistol. Singh fired the round accidentally at around 1430 hours and was injured. He was then shifted to Naval Hospital INHS Kalyani in Visakhapatnam where he succumbed to his injuries.^[6]
• The Kuthar collided with the destroyer INS Ranvir in the Bay of Bengal in August 2009. The reason for the collision was found to be a rudder failure, further compounded by a flawed naval maneuver.^[7]

Notes and References

1. News: Navy welcomes students aboard INS Kuthar. 10 Nov 2013. The Hindu.
2. Web site: 13 July 2014 . INS Kuthar damaged in mishap, navy orders probe . 2023-12-11 . Livemint.
3. Web site: Khukri Class Corvettes . Indian Navy.
4. News: Eastern Naval Command exercises thrill children to the core. https://archive.today/20140324174001/http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/24/stories/2005112408380400.htm. dead. 24 March 2014. 24 Nov 2005. The Hindu.
5. Web site: First Maritime Exercise between Japan and India Set for Today. 19 December 2013 . Naval Today.
6. Web site: Indian Navy officer dies in INS Kuthar due to accidental firing. 11 October 2016. The Indian Express.
7. Web site: Mayday: INS Sindhurakshak's destruction underlines a growing trend of naval warship losses, primarily due to human error . 2023-12-11 . India Today . en.