INS Visakhapatnam joins Navy: Rajnath Singh commissions India’s 1st indigenous destroyer

In a major boost to the Indian Navy, INS Visakhapatnam was commissioned on November 21, Sunday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. It is the first stealth-guided missile destroyer ship of Project 15B and a crucial step for the Navy to demonstrate its indigenous capability to build complex combat platforms. The destroyer is capable to enhance the Navy’s capacity and firepower to battle threats by a margin. The Defence Minister was the guest of honour at the commissioning event. 

INS Visakhapatnam taking India amongst an elite group of nations

The INS is proficient to build advanced warships. Here are key features of the destroyer:

• Advance technology: Propelled with combined gas and gas propulsion, INS Visakhapatnam carries a speed of over 30 knots. The ship has the capacity of embarking two integrated helicopters to further extend its reach. It is processed with a very high level of mechanisation which includes a Combat Management System and Integrated Platform Management System.
• Mobility, reach, and flexibility: INS Visakhapatnam will enhance the Indian Navy's powers in terms of mobility, reach, and flexibility in international waters. It will also guide the Navy with medium-range surface-to-air missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, torpedo tubes and launchers advancement. It is also supplied with anti-submarine rocket launchers, super rapid gun mount besides foldable hangar doors, Helo traversing system, close-in weapon system and bow-mounted SONAR.  
• Making India 'Aatmanirbhar': According to the Ministry of Defence, Visakhapatnam will also contribute towards India's 'Aatmanirbhar' mission and is a potent platform capable of undertaking multifarious tasks and missions spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare. 
• Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare: The ship is additionally capable of handling Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare scenarios and its anti-submarine warfare capabilities are powered by rocket launchers, torpedo launchers, and ASW helicopters designed in-house. 

Induction in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam's induction will be entailed by Vela, a submarine of the Kalvari Class on November 25. As per the Indian Navy, the inclusion of these in India's military arsenal is a tribute to the fallen soldiers of the 1971 Indo-Pak war along with the freedom fighters who fought for the country's independence. 

Image: Republic World