INS Sharda

INS Sharda (P55) is a Sukanya-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy.^[1][2]

INS Sharda sailing between Androth and Agatti Island
History
India
Name	Sharda
Builder	Hindustan Shipyard Limited
Launched	22 August 1990
Commissioned	27 October 1991
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class & type	Sukanya-class patrol vessel[1]
Displacement	1,890 tons (full load)[1]
Length	101 m (331 ft 4 in)
Beam	11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	2 × diesel engines, 12,800 bhp (9,540 kW), 2 shafts
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h)
Range	7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement	70
Sensors & processing systems	1 × Racal Decca 2459 search radar 1 BEL 1245 navigation radar
Armament	1 × 40 mm, 60 cal. Bofors anti-aircraft gun 2 × 12.7 mm machine guns 2 x 25 mm, 80 cal. anti-aircraft guns
Aircraft carried	1 HAL Chetak

Operations

On 17 May 2017, the ship rescued a Liberian registered merchant vessel, MV Mountbatten, from pirates while on patrol in the Gulf of Aden.^[3]

2024 Anti-piracy patrols

On 2 February 2024, Shardha' thwarted another piracy attempt off the Somali coast and rescued an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel (FV) and its crew of 11 Iranians and 8 Pakistanis.^[4] Indian Navy's remotely piloted aircraft located FV 'Omari', and Sharda, deployed for an anti-piracy mission in the region, was diverted to intercept the boat. Omari had been boarded by seven pirates who had taken the crew as hostages using her integral helicopter and boats, the ship coerced the pirates for safe release of crew along with the vessel.^[5][6][7][8]

On 6 April 2024, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar awarded 'On the Spot Unit Citation' to Sharda for its anti piracy operation off the Eastern coast of Somalia on 2 February 2024.^[9]