When: 16 August 2014
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi on 16 August 2014 dedicated India’s indigenously designed warship INS Kolkata (D63) to the nation. With this, INS Kolkata was commissioned in Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
It has all-round capabilities against enemy submarines, surface warships, anti-ship missiles and fighter aircraft. The warship has been commissioned without its main air defence weapon which protects the vessel from aerial attacks.
However, as per Rear Admiral AB Singh, by September 2014, a Long Range-Surface to Air Missile (LR-SAM) would be deployed on the board of the warship. At present the LR-SAM is under development in a joint venture between India and Israel. The LR-SAM is the main air defence weapon of the naval warships.
It has all-round capabilities against enemy submarines, surface warships, anti-ship missiles and fighter aircraft. The warship has been commissioned without its main air defence weapon which protects the vessel from aerial attacks.
However, as per Rear Admiral AB Singh, by September 2014, a Long Range-Surface to Air Missile (LR-SAM) would be deployed on the board of the warship. At present the LR-SAM is under development in a joint venture between India and Israel. The LR-SAM is the main air defence weapon of the naval warships.
About INS Kolkota
• INS Kolkata is the country’s largest indigenously built warship
• The warship has been constructed by Mazagon Dockyards Limited and was designed by Navy’s design bureau
• It weighs 6800 tonnes and is a technology demonstrator
• INS Kolkata was handed over to the Indian Navy in July 2014 after completing its sea trials
• INS Kolkata is a part of the Kolkata Class destroyers of the Indian Navy. The Kolkata class destroyer also includes INS Kochi and INS Chennai which are in pipeline
The plan to build the warship was laid down in September 2003 but the work on it started in 2006. INS Kolkata was planned to be commissioned in 2010 but was delayed for certain reasons. The main reason was a mishap that happened on the ship during the trial phase that also claimed a life of a Navy officer.
Earlier in June 2014, the Prime Minister dedicated India’s largest warship INS Vikramaditya to the nation. Besides, India is also building an over 40000-tonne indigenous aircraft carrier christened INS Vikrant but it will take another three-four years before it gets inducted into the Navy.
Comment: the construction and commissioning of INS Kolkata can be considered as a giant leap in Indian capability in indigenous shipbuilding technology
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