‘Will do shipbuilding for World in future...’ Rajnath Singh while commissioning INS Mormugao

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday exuded confidence that in future India will emerge as a global player in shipbuilding. Union Minister for Defence was speaking at the commissioning ceremony of INS 'Mormugao', a P15B stealth-guided missile destroyer, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

"INS Mormugao is one of the most powerful warships made in India, it will make a remarkable growth in Indian Maritime capabilities. INS Mormugao is one of the world's most technologically advanced missile carriers," Rajnath Singh said.

"The systems in INS Mormugao will be able to satisfy not just present but also future needs. It is also an example of our indigenous defence production capability," he added, underlining that in future, we will do shipbuilding for the world.

The commissioning ceremony marked the formal induction into the Navy of the second of the four 'Visakhapatnam' class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy's in-house organisation, Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai.

Named after the historic port city of Goa on the West coast, Mormugao coincidentally undertook her first sea sortie on 19 Dec 21, when Goa celebrated 60 years of liberation from Portuguese rule.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai, Goa CM Pramod Sawant and other dignitaries attended the commissioning ceremony.

Earlier in the day, speaking at the event, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said, "today is yet another milestone in the history of indigenous warship building as we commission the destroyer Mormugao, particularly when our sister ship Visakhapatnam was inducted into the Indian Navy just over a year ago."

"This achievement is indicative of the large strides we have taken in warship design and building capability over the last decade. The Navy has a tradition of naming ships after cities which creates an enduring umbilical link between the two," Navy Chief added.

The majestic ship measures 163m in length, and 17 m in breadth with a displacement of 7400 tonnes and can rightfully be regarded as one of the most potent warships to have been constructed in India. The ship is propelled by four powerful 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).

Mormugao is packed with sophisticated 'state of the art' weapons and sensors such as Surface to Surface Missile and Surface to Air Missiles. The ship is fitted with a modern Surveillance Radar which provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems of the ship. The ship's 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," read an official statement by the Ministry of Defence.

"A unique feature of this ship is the high level of indigenisation of approximately 75 per cent incorporated in the production, accentuating our national objective of 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat'. Some of the major indigenised equipment/system onboard Mormugao include Surface to Surface and Surface to Air Missiles, Torpedo Tubes and Launchers, Anti-Submarine Rocket Launchers, Super Rapid Gun Mount besides, Combat Management System, Integrated Platform Management System, Automated Power Management System, Foldable Hangar Doors, Helo Traversing system, Close-in Weapon System and Bow mounted SONAR. Major OEMs as well as small MSMEs such as BEL, L&T, Godrej, Marine Electrical Brahmos, Technico, Kineco, Jeet & Jeet, Sushma Marine, Techno Process, etc. have all contributed in making of the mighty Mormugao," the statement added.

With a clear focus on indigenisation and self-reliance, 42 out of the 44 ships and submarines under construction are being built in Indian Shipyards, thus further enhancing our efforts towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. In addition, AoN has been accorded for 55 ships and submarines which will all be constructed in Indian Shipyards," the statement noted further.