Mumbai, Nov 21: INS Visakhapatnam, a P15B stealth guided missile destroyer, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on Sunday.

The event marks the formal induction of the first of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. 

In his address, the Defence Minister termed INS Visakhapatnam as a symbol of the growing maritime prowess of the country and a major milestone in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.

He added that the ship is a reminder of ancient and medieval India’s maritime power, shipbuilding skills and glorious history. Rajnath Singh exuded confidence that the state-of-the-art ship, equipped with latest systems and weapons, will strengthen the maritime security and protect the interests of the Nation. He defined the ship as one of the most technologically advanced guided missile destroyers in the world which will cater to the present & future requirements of the Armed Forces and the Nation as a whole.

The Defence Minister appreciated the self-reliance efforts of the Indian Navy, terming Navy’s order of 39 of the 41 ships and submarines from Indian shipyards as a testament to their commitment towards achieving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. He described the development of Indigenous Aircraft Carrier ‘INS Vikrant’ as an important milestone in their path to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’. “The carrier will increase our reach from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. Its commissioning will be a golden moment in the history of the Indian Defence. It will be the best occasion to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence and the 50th anniversary of India’s victory in 1971 war,” he said.