- It was launched by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 17, 2022
- The ceremony for unveiling the crest is being conducted under the aegis of Western Naval Command by Gujarat Naval Area
NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, NOV 5
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will unveil the crest of Indian Navy’s latest, under-construction, guided missile destroyer, ‘Surat’, on Monday in the presence Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, a Defence release said.
Unveiling of Crest – INS Surat
06 #NovemberINS Surat will be a powerful embodiment of India's commitment to #maritime #Security
Will be equipped with latest technology in naval #warfare & combat capabilities & serve as formidable sentinel, safeguarding our
maritime borders pic.twitter.com/89vO5QcwFF
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) November 4, 2023
Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command and Rear Admiral Anil Jaggi, Flag Officer Commanding Gujarat Naval Area will also be present for the event.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier launched this indigenously constructed ship, on 17th March 2022 at Mumbai.
Amongst the latest frontline ‘Warship Projects’ under construction, the ‘Project 15B’ programme involves construction of four next generation stealth guided missile destroyers, of which ‘Surat’ is the fourth and the last ship. She is presently under construction at the Mazagaon Docks Ltd. Mumbai. Construction of this warship testifies the nation’s dedication to indigenous cutting-edge warship building technology and commitment to strategic military advancements. From a small navy at the time of independence, Indian Navy today is a highly capable, combat ready, cohesive, credible and future proof force. Indian Navy comprises of over 130 surface warships. Additionally, 67 warships are presently under construction. ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atma Nirbharta’ has been a key factor in the growth of Indian Navy and out of the 67 warships under construction, 65 are being constructed in Indian Shipyards.
It is a well-known fact that the city of Surat was the most important maritime trade link between India and many other countries from the 16th to the 18th century. The city was also a flourishing centre for ship building activities and the vessels built in Surat, during this period, were especially renowned for their longevity as some ships continued to be in service for more than 100 years. It is a maritime tradition and a naval custom according to which many of the Indian naval ships have been named after prominent cities of our nation. Indian Navy is therefore immensely proud of naming its latest and technologically the most advanced warship after the city of Surat. This is the first warship to be named after a city of Gujarat and this is also the first time that unveiling of the crest of a warship is being undertaken in the very city after which it has been named
The ceremony for unveiling the crest is being conducted under the aegis of Western Naval Command by Gujarat Naval Area.
