On the occasion Defence Minister had a subtle dig at China for violating UN Convention
By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, Nov 22:
India’s first indigenously developed Stealth-Guided Missile Destroyer “INS Visakhapatnam” was commissioned by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Naval Dockyard located in South Mumbai on Sunday.
In his speech, Singh said that “Indian Navy’s primary objective is to keep Indo-Pacific open, safe and secure. We envision a rule-based Indo-Pacific in which the interests of all participating countries are protected. This war ship will increase India’s reach from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. The ship is one of the most technologically advanced guided-missile destroyers in the world and is a symbol of India’s growing maritime prowess”.
Singh appreciated the self-reliance efforts of the Indian Navy, terming its order for 39 of the 41 ships and submarines from Indian shipyards, as a testament to their commitment towards achieving “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India). This is a giant leap towards achieving “Make in India, Make for the World” and a Public-private partnership is expected to make India global shipbuilding hub.
A subtle dig at China
Defence Minister reiterated that India, as a responsible maritime stakeholder, is a supporter of consensus-based principles and a peaceful, open, rule-based, and stable maritime order. 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” Singh said.
In a subtle dig at China, Singh said that 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,” he added.
It may be recalled that as per China’s new maritime rules which became effective in September this year, foreign vessels, both military and commercial, are required to submit to Chinese supervision in “Chinese territorial waters”. The rules are designed to control the entry of foreign vessels into Chinese territorial waters.
INS Visakhapatnam
The keel of INS Visakhapatnam” was laid down on October 12, 2013, and it was launched on April 20, 2015, at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), a public sector undertaking, located in South Central Mumbai. The warship is the first of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organization Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by MDL.
INS Visakhapatnam measures 163m in length, 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 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 over 30 knots. The ship has enhanced stealth features resulting in a reduced Radar Cross Section (RCS) achieved through efficient shaping of the hull, full beam superstructure design, plated masts, and use of radar transparent materials on exposed decks.
The ship is packed 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 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.
A unique feature of this ship is the high level of indigenization incorporated in the production. Some of the major indigenized equipment/systems onboard INS Visakhapatnam include Combat Management System, Rocket Launcher, Torpedo Tube Launcher, Integrated Platform Management System, Automated Power Management System, Foldable Hangar Doors, Helicopter Traversing system, Close-in Weapon System and the Bow mounted SONAR.
Named after Visakhapatnam, a port city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the ship has a total complement of about 315 personnel. The ship will be under the command of Captain Birendra Singh Bains, a Navigation and Direction specialist.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, MDL CMD Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad (Retd), and other senior civil and military officials were present during the commissioning ceremony of INS Visakhapatnam.
