Indian Navy commissions guided missile destroyer

INS Visakhapatnam at its commissioning | Photo: Indian Navy

The Indian Navy commissioned the Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam at the Naval Dockyard at Mumbai on Sunday in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

INS Visakhapatnam is the lead ship of four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers ‘designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai’, according to a statement by the navy.

In his address, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “In the ‘United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’ (UNCLOS) of 1982, territorial waters of nations, exclusive economic zones and the principle of ‘Good order at sea’ have been propounded. Some irresponsible nations, for the sake of their narrow partisan interests, keep on giving new and inappropriate interpretations to these international laws from hegemonic tendencies. The arbitrary interpretations create obstacles in the path of a rule-based maritime order. We envision a rule-based Indo-Pacific, with freedom of navigation, free trade and universal values, in which the interests of all the participating countries are protected.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with CNS, Admiral Karambir Singh, at the commissioning of INS Visakhapatnam | Photo: Indian Navy

He also alluded to the development of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant, saying, “The carrier will increase our reach from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean.”

According to the navy, the INS Visakhapatnam measures 163m in length, 17m in breadth, with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes. The ship is propelled by four gas turbines, in a Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) configuration, capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots. “The ship has enhanced stealth features resulting in a reduced Radar Cross Section (RCS) achieved through efficient shaping of hull, full beam superstructure design, plated masts and use of radar transparent materials on exposed decks,” said the navy in its statement.

With a crew of 319, the INS Visakhapatnam is commanded by Captain Birendra Singh Bains, a Navigation & Direction specialist, and incorporates Surface-to-Surface and Surface-to-Air missiles, and a modern surveillance radar which provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems of the ship. “The anti-submarine warfare capabilities are provided by the indigenously developed rocket launchers, torpedo launchers and ASW helicopters. The ship is equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare conditions,” said the navy.

Pointing to the ‘major indigenised equipment/system onboard INS Visakhapatnam’, which include the Combat Management System, Rocket Launcher, Torpedo Tube Launcher, Integrated Platform Management System, Automated Power Management System, Foldable Hangar Doors, Helo Traversing system, Close-in Weapon System and the Bow-Mounted SONAR, the navy said that of the 41 ships currently on order by the Indian Navy, 39 are being constructed at Indian shipyards.