Stealth guided missile destroyer Mormugao commissioned into Indian Navy

NEW DELHI: Adding to the country's maritime prowess, Mormugao, the second
indigenous stealth guided missile destroyer under project P15B, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on Sunday.

The commissioning of the destroyer comes at a time when China is trying to occupy a larger strategic space in the Indian Ocean Region. INS Mormugao has a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and is equipped to fight under nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare conditions.

"India is one of those countries whose interests are directly linked to the Indian Ocean. Being an important country in this region, the role of our navy becomes more important in its security," said defence minister Rajnath Singh at the commissioning ceremony at the Mumbai naval dockyard.

The ship is armed with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, indigenous torpedo tube launchers and 76mm super rapid gun mount.

Named after the historic port city of Goa, the ship is fitted with modern surveillance radar that provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems.

The ship has been designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation, the Warship Design Bureau and built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.

"INS Mormugao is one of the world’s most technologically advanced missile carriers. With over 75 per cent indigenous content, it is a testimony to India’s excellence in the design and development of warships and a shining example of our growing indigenous defence production capabilities. The warship will meet the present and future needs of our country as well as those of our friendly countries across the globe," said the defence minister.

Mormugao’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities are provided by indigenously-developed rocket launchers, torpedo launchers and ASW helicopters.

The first warship under P15B, the INS Visakhapatnam, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November last year.

The contract for four ships under Project 15B was signed on January 28, 2011. The project's four ships are named after major cities in India's four corners -- Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Surat.