INS Mormugao will be launched today. 5 things to know about Guided Missile Destroyer Ship

 

• INS Mormugao is the second of the four 'Visakhapatnam' class destroyers, designed indigenously by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau.

It is a historic day for the Indian Navy as IND Mormugao was commissioned in Mumbai on Sunday in the presence of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, CDS General Anil Chauhan, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and other dignitaries. INS Mormugao is a P15B stealth-guided missile destroyer indigenously built. According to the Indian Navy, the warship is loaded with sophisticated sensors, modern radar and weapon systems like surface-to-surface missiles and surface-to-air missiles.

P15B stealth guided missile destroyer 'Mormugao' is set to be inducted into the Indian Navy.

I will be in Mumbai today, 18 December, to attend the commissioning ceremony. looking forward to it.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 18, 2022

Against the backdrop of concerns over China's increasing forays into the Indian Navy's backyard, India is focusing on enhancing its maritime capability with a focus on the Indian Ocean.

The Navy said that with a clear focus on indigenization and self-reliance, 42 of the 44 ships and submarines under construction are being built at Indian shipyards.

China is vying for influence in the strategic Indian Ocean region with substantial investment in ports and infrastructure investment in several countries including Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Here are 5 things to know about INS Mormugao:

• Named after the historic Goan port city of Mormugao, the ship made its maiden voyage on December 19 last year when Goa celebrated 60 years of independence from Portuguese rule.

• INS Mormugao is the second of the four 'Visakhapatnam' class destroyers, designed indigenously by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.

• With a displacement of 7,400 tonnes, this impressive ship measuring 163 meters in length and 17 meters in breadth can be considered as one of the most powerful warships built in India. 70% of the components used in the construction of INS Mormugao are indigenous.

• The ship is propelled by four powerful gas turbines and is capable of achieving speeds of over 30 knots.

• The Navy said the ship is equipped to fight under nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) warfare conditions and is equipped with a modern surveillance radar that provides target data to gunnery weapon systems.