“India’s growing economic, strategic power has filled some forces with jealousy, hatred”: Rajnath Singh

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 26 (ANI): After the INS Imphal, a Project 15B stealth-guided missile destroyer was commissioned into the Indian Navy, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the INS Imphal is a shining example of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence and a reflection of the commitment of the Indian Navy, MDL and all other stakeholders towards national security.

He also stated that India’s growing economic and strategic power has filled some forces with jealousy and hatred.

Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “INS Imphal is a symbol of India’s growing maritime power and it will strengthen it further. It will bolster our principle of ‘Jalmev Yasya, Balmev Tasya’ (One Who Controls the Sea is All Powerful) in the Indo-Pacific region.”

According to the Defence Ministry, the ship measures 163m in length and 17m in breadth, with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and is among the most potent warships built in India. It is propelled by four powerful gas turbines, in a combined gas and gas configuration, and is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.

The Defence Minister defined INS Imphal as a conglomeration of different strengths of the nation. “Brahmos Aerospace installed Brahmos missile on the ship.

Rajnath Singh reiterated the government’s resolve to lay equal emphasis on the modernisation of all three services to safeguard national interests, stating that earlier governments focussed only on protecting the country from land-based threats.

He pointed out that with the Himalayas in the north and the hostile behaviour of Pakistan in the west, most of India’s goods trade comes through the sea, which makes it an island country from a ‘trade’ perspective. He stressed the need to continuously develop the Navy’s capabilities, as global trade is of great importance to India to secure its national interests.

The Defence Minister also referred to the recent suspected drone attack on Merchant Vessel (MV) Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea and the attack on ‘MV Sai Baba’ in the Red Sea.

He added that the Government of India has taken the attacks very seriously and the Navy has increased its surveillance. He assured that the perpetrators of these attacks will soon be brought to justice and strict action will be taken against them.

“India plays the role of a net security provider in the entire Indian Ocean Region. We will ensure that maritime trade in this region touches greater heights. For this, together with our friendly countries, we will keep the sea lanes secure. We have full confidence in the ability and strength of our Navy,” Rajnath Singh said.

On the occasion, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that INS Imphal possesses the distinction of being a shining symbol of the Indian Navy’s unflinching commitment towards achieving the vision of self-reliance in defence.

He also termed it a testament to the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ vision of the government. He added that the ship will not only tackle physical threats that emanate from the seas but will also demonstrate the strength of an integrated country. “INS Imphal will deter the various designs that try to harm national unity. It will breathe fire upon the enemy and demonstrate unflinching resolve in the face of adversity,” he said.

The Chief of the Naval Staff exuded confidence that the fourth Project 15B stealth-guided missile destroyer ‘Surat’ will be commissioned in 2024. Prior to the commissioning of INS Imphal, two destroyers of the same class INS Visakhapatnam and INS Mormugao were commissioned into the Navy in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Admiral R Hari Kumar pointed out that to counter piracy and drone attacks on merchant shipping, the Indian Navy has deployed four destroyers from Project 15B and 15A class. He added that the P8I Aircraft, Dorniers, Sea Guardians, Helicopters and Coast Guard Ships have all been deployed jointly to counter these threats.

Defence Ministry said that INS Imphal has the unique distinction of being the first warship to be named after a city in the northeast, underscoring the importance and contribution of the region and Manipur to the Nation and the Indian Navy.

Its keel was laid on May 19, 2017, and the ship was launched on April 20, 2019. The ship sailed for her maiden sea sortie on April 28, 2023, and underwent comprehensive trials in the harbour and at sea, with its delivery on October 20, 2023, marking a record time frame of less than six months.

The time taken to build INS Imphal and undergo trials has been the shortest for any indigenous destroyer. The ship successfully completed the first-ever test-firing of an extended-range Brahmos missile prior to its commissioning, making it ‘weapon-ready’, the ministry said.