Crest of Navy warship ‘Surat’ to be unveiled in city it’s named after
The decal of the Indian Navy’s newest warship ‘Surat’ will be unveiled by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday in the presence of Chief of Army Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar and other senior officers.
This is the first warship to be named after a city in Gujarat and this is also the first time that the unveiling of the crest of a warship is taking place in the city after which it is named, a Press Information Bureau press release said on Sunday.
The ceremony to unveil the emblem will take place in Surat in the presence of Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Commander-in-Chief of Western Naval Command and Vice Admiral Anil Jaggi, Flag Officer of Gujarat Naval Area, the release said.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had launched this indigenously built ship, a guided missile destroyer, in Mumbai in March last year.
“One of the last frontline ‘warship projects’ under construction, the ‘Project 15B’ program involves the construction of four next-generation stealth guided missile destroyers, of which ‘Surat’ is the fourth and final ship,” the report said.
“The warship is currently under construction at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. The construction of this warship is a testament to the country’s commitment to indigenous, advanced warship building technology and commitment to strategic military advancement,” the release said.
From a small Navy at the time of Independence, the Indian Navy today is a highly capable, combat-ready, cohesive, credible and future-ready force, with over 130 surface warships and another 67 warships under construction, the press release said.
‘Make in India’ and ‘Atma Nirbharta’ have been a key factor in the growth of the Indian Navy and of the 67 warships under construction, 65 are being built in Indian Shipyards, the press release said.
Surat was the most important maritime trade link between India and many other countries from the 16th to the 18th centuries and was a thriving center for shipbuilding activities.
The ships built in Surat during this period were mainly known for their longevity as some ships remained in service for more than 100 years, the PIB release said.
“It is a maritime tradition and naval custom according to which many of the Indian Navy ships are named after prominent cities of our nation. The Indian Navy is therefore extremely proud to name its newest and most technologically advanced warship after the city of Surat. ” the release said.
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