About Narmada River:

• It is the largest west-flowing river in peninsular India.
• Of the major rivers of peninsular India, only the Narmada, the Tapti, and the Mahirun from east to west.
• It has long been an important route between the Arabian Sea and the Ganges (Ganga) River valley.
• The Narmada was called Namade by the 2nd-century-ce Greek geographer Ptolemy.
• Course:
  • The origin of the river is a tiny reservoir named Narmada Kund, which is situated on the Amarkantak Hill in East Madhya Pradesh at an elevation of 1,057 m on the border with Chhattisgarh.
  • The river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat between Vindhya and Satpura hill ranges before falling into the Gulf of Cambay in the Arabian Sea about 10 km north of Bharuch, Gujarat.
• Length: It is the fifth longest river of India.
• Narmada flows through the Hoshangabad plains, the Dhar upland, the Mahishmati plains, and the gorges at Mandhata and Murakta.
• The basin is bounded on the north by the Vindhyas, on the east by the Maikala range, on the south by the Satpuras, and on the west by the Arabian Sea.
• The Tropic of Cancer crosses the Narmada basin in the upper plains area, and a major part of the basin lies just below this line.
• It is one of the rivers that flow in a rift valley and acts as a divider between north India and south India.
• These rift valleys are the result of the faulting that took place when the northern flank of the Peninsula suffered subsidence.
• The river has numerous waterfalls, notably the Dhuandhar Falls, southwest of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
• Tributaries:
  • The main tributaries of Narmada River are, namely, Hallon River, Banjar River, Barna River, and Tawa River.
  • The Tawa River is the longest tributary of the Narmada River.
• There are also numerous pilgrimage spots on the banks of the river, the most important among them are Mahewswar and Omkareshwar temples.
• There are several dams along the course of the river, including major hydroelectric projects, such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the Indira Sagar Dam, the Omkareshwar Dam, the Bargi Dam, and the Maheshwar Dam.

About INS Sindhukesari:

• It is a Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy.
• It was commissioned in 1988.
• It was designed as part of Project 877 and built under a contract between Rosvooruzhenie, Russia, and the Ministry of Defence (India).
• Features:
  • It has an operational endurance of up to 45 days.
  • It is armed with a combination of torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and mines, and has been retrofitted to carry advanced Klub/3M-54E cruise missiles.

What are Kilo-class submarines?

• The Kilo Class is the NATO designation for a naval diesel-electric attack submarine designed and built by the Soviet Union (now Russia).
• The original version of the vessels were designated Project 877 Paltus (Halibut) in Russia.
• They are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters.
• The first Kilo Class submarine entered service in the Soviet Navy in 1980, and the vessel continues to be in service in the Russian Navy.
• These submarines are 70-74 meters long. It can travel at a maximum speed of 10-12 knots when surfaced and 17-25 knots when underwater.
• These vessels can carry up to eight surface-to-air missiles and 18 torpedoes or 14 underwater mines.
• Stealth: Known for extremely low noise levels, earning the nickname “Black Hole” among naval forces.