The submarines have a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, a maximum diving depth of 300 meters, top speed of 18 knots, and are able to operate solo for 45 days with a crew of 53.

[7][8] The Indian Navy signed a contract with the Russian shipbuilder Sevmash to refit and upgrade the existing submarines and to extend their operational life by 35 years.

The extensive refit, the value for which is pegged at ₹5,000 crore (equivalent to ₹72 billion or US$830 million in 2023) for a total of four submarines, will not only extend the life of the boats but will also upgrade their combat potential and fitted with Klub land attack cruise missile.

[11][12] On 4 February 2025, it was reported that the deal has been concluded for cruise missiles for Sindhughosh-class submarines in the presence of the Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

[13][14][15] In 2015, the naval exercise Malabar, between the navies of India and the United States, involved Sindhudhvaj and USS City of Corpus Christi hunting each other.