Mumbai, April 6 (IANS): Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar on Monday launched the first indigenously-built Scorpene submarine at the Mazagaon Dockyard Ltd here.

The Scorpene is part of the ambitious Project 75 of Indian Navy's submarine programme, undertaken with French collaboration, which will include six such vessels joining the fleet over the next few years.

Parikkar, along with Chief Of Naval Staff Admiral R.K. Dhowan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and others officials attended a puja ceremony to mark the auspicious undocking of the vessel.

The submarine is expected to be commissioned by September 2016.

Presently, Indian Navy has 14 conventional diesel-electric powered submarines which include 10 Russian Kilo Class and four German HDW class vessels.

Parikkar is in the city to review the progress of Project 75 programme undertaken by the Western Naval Command and is likely to get a status report on the Project 15 B-Class stealth destroyers being constructed at MDL.