HMIS Sutlej (U95) was a modified Bittern-class sloop, later reclassified as a Black Swan-class vessel, serving in the Royal Indian Navy during World War II. Built by William Denny and Brothers, she was ordered on 8 September 1939 under the 1939 Programme and commissioned on 23 April 1941. Her design featured the characteristics of a sloop optimized for convoy escort and anti-submarine operations. Upon commissioning, HMIS Sutlej was immediately deployed for convoy defense in the Irish Sea. In August 1941, she escorted the convoy WS11 through the Northwest approaches alongside ships such as HMS Repulse, HMS Encounter, HMAS Nestor, HMS Sennen, and HMS Derbyshire. After the convoy split, she escorted the slow section to Freetown, later joining other escorts like HMS Woodruff for operations in the Indian Ocean. In September 1941, she received orders to join the British Mediterranean Fleet at Suez, where she was assigned to anti-aircraft defense duties. Following Japan’s entry into the war in December 1941, Sutlej was transferred to the East Indies, where she escorted military convoys to strategic locations including Singapore, the Bay of Bengal, the Persian Gulf, and Aden throughout 1942 and early 1943. She rejoined the Mediterranean Fleet in May 1943, participating in escort duties and supporting the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July. During September, she contributed to the defense of the Aegean Islands. In December 1943, she was transferred back to the Eastern Fleet, operating in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, with anti-submarine patrols in June 1944. After a refit in Bombay, she supported amphibious operations in Burma and Malaya, notably during Operation Dracula’s assault on Rangoon. She also took part in missions to intercept Japanese troops retreating from the Andamans. Post-war, HMIS Sutlej was refitted in Bombay and, following Indian independence on 26 January 1950, was renamed INS Sutlej and reclassified as a frigate. In 1955, she was converted into a survey ship. She served until her decommissioning in 1978, was sold for scrap in 1979, and was scrapped in 1980, marking a distinguished maritime career spanning nearly four decades.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.