The indigenously built warship INS Mormugao is a welcome step in India’s plan for self-reliance.
Release Date – 12:25 AM, Thu – 22 December 22
The indigenously built warship INS Mormugao is a welcome step in India’s plan for self-reliance.
Hyderabad: India has traditionally been among the top five arms importers globally. However, after responding to an increasingly uncertain world dominated by self-reliance policies, the situation is changing. There is a renewed focus on accelerating device and system development. The recent commissioning of the indigenously built warship INS Mormugao is a welcome step forward in the self-reliance program, boosting the country’s maritime capabilities. Named after the historic Goa port INS Mormugao, the guided missile destroyer was commissioned at Mumbai Naval Shipyard on the eve of Goa Liberation Day. This is the second of four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers to join the fleet to enhance maritime combat capabilities.
Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, the warship bolsters India’s naval capabilities to counter China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean region. The stealth guided destroyer is equipped with sensors, radar and weapons systems. In the future of warfare, locally designed and built ships will be the key to success. Although significant progress has been made in the defense sector’s indigenization process in recent years, the slow transformation of naval shipyards remains a concern. This is especially important from a strategic perspective, as the Chinese navy is rapidly expanding its sphere of influence. Despite considerable efforts, warship construction is still systematically flawed. Programs that are mired in delays and cost overruns require rigorous auditing.
The project to build six next-generation conventional submarines has now been further delayed. The shipbuilding industry must be treated as a strategic business with the highest priority. To gain more participation from the private sector, the Navy provided facilities for equipment testing, trials, and adjustments during the development phase. The Naval Innovation and Indigenization Organization was established in 2020 to provide academia and industry with an interface to interact with the Naval Capability Development Organization. Work is being done to address the problem areas, but the challenges are daunting.
The commissioning of INS Vikrant, the first indigenous aircraft carrier at a cost of Rs 23,000 crore in September, was a defining moment in India’s emergence as a defense industrial and technological base. The launch of the Indian Navy’s third Nilgiri-class guided-missile frigate, Taragiri, adds to the list of state-of-the-art indigenous projects aimed at strengthening maritime defenses. INS Mormugao is one of the most powerful warships ever built by India, measuring 163 meters long, 17 meters wide and displacing 7,400 tons. It is equipped with state-of-the-art radar and weapon systems such as surface-to-surface missiles and surface-to-air missiles. With a huge responsibility on its shoulders, the defense industry, both private and public, needs all the help it needs.
