INS Mormugao, the latest guided-missile destroyer commissioned into the Indian Navy, hit the 'Bulls Eye' during its maiden Brahmos Supersonic cruise missile firing on Sunday, demonstrating its firepower at sea. The ship and the weapon are both indigenous, marking a shining symbol of Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) for India.
Mormugao's commissioning ceremony
The Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, arrived in Mumbai for the commissioning ceremony of Mormugao, a P15B stealth-guided missile destroyer, into the Indian Navy. The ship was commissioned on Dec 18, 2022, in the presence of various dignitaries, including CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and others.
Mormugao's connection with Visakhapatnam Class Destroyers
Mormugao is the second of the four 'Visakhapatnam' class destroyers, which are indigenously designed by the Indian Navy's in-house organisation Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., Mumbai.
Equipped with 'state of the art' weapons systems
The ship is equipped with sophisticated 'state of the art' weapons and sensors such as surface-to-surface missiles and surface-to-air missiles. It is fitted with a modern surveillance radar that provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems of the ship. The ship's anti-submarine warfare capabilities are provided by indigenously developed rocket launchers, torpedo launchers, and ASW helicopters. The ship is also equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare conditions.
Indigenisation and self-reliance of the destroyer
With 75% indigenisation, Mormugao is one of the world's most technologically advanced missile carriers. The ship's systems will be able to satisfy not just present but also future needs, as it is an example of India's indigenous defence production capability.
In addition, 42 out of the 44 ships and submarines under construction are being built in Indian shipyards, further enhancing India's efforts towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India). The government has also accorded AoN for 55 ships and submarines, all of which will be constructed in Indian shipyards.
