The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Imphal, its third Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided missile destroyer, at the Mumbai Naval Dockyard.
The ceremony comes after the ship’s successful test-firings of the extended-range supersonic BrahMos missile in November.
Its armaments include surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and a Total Atmosphere Control System, which shields it from nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare.
INS Imphal is set to join the Western Naval Command, to be utilized as an anti-surface, -air, and -submarine warfare capability for India’s fleet.
INS Imphal’s commissioning comes a year after INS Mormugao, its sister ship. The fourth and final destroyer in their class, INS Surat, is scheduled for completion in 2024.
Work for the construction of all Visakhapatnam-class destroyers is estimated to cost around 35,000 crore Indian rupee ($5.3 billion).
An Upgraded Destroyer
As an updated version of India’s Kolkata-class ships, INS Imphal has a smaller radar cross-section, safer helicopter traversing systems, and a centralized network for its ship management system.
It can reach a maximum speed of 30 knots (55 kilometers/34 miles per hour), with a range of up to 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 kilometers/9,200 miles) at 18 knots (33 kilometers/21 miles per hour).
It can crew 300 ship personnel, and endure 45 days of uninterrupted operations at sea.
Around 75 percent of its components are locally sourced as part of the Make in India initiative, which seeks to boost the country’s business sectors through local manufacturing support.
#INSImphal Commissioned into the #IndianNavy today #26Dec 23.
The Warship and Her Crew, true to the Motto "सदैव तत्पर", 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 to meet Any Challenge & Every Mission in service of the Navy & the Nation!#हरकामदेशकेनाम pic.twitter.com/aitiVlioKQ
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 26, 2023
