INS Mormugao launch today. 5 things to know about guided missile destroyer ship

India has been focusing on bolstering its maritime capability with a focus on the Indian Ocean in the backdrop of concerns over China’s growing forays into the region, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy.

With a clear focus on indigenisation and self-reliance, 42 out of the 44 ships and submarines under construction are being built in the Indian shipyards, the Navy said.

China is vying for influence in the strategic Indian Ocean region with substantial investments in ports and infrastructure investments in several countries, including Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Here are 5 things to know about INS Mormugao:

• Named after the historic Goan port city Mormugao, the ship undertook her first sea sortie on 19 December last year when Goa celebrated 60 years of liberation from Portuguese rule.
• INS Mormugao is the second of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd.
• The majestic ship measuring 163 metres in length and 17 metres in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes can be regarded as one of the most potent warships to have been constructed in India. 70% of the components used in the construction of INS Mormugao are indigenous.
• The ship is propelled by four powerful gas turbines and it is capable of achieving speeds over 30 knots.
• The Navy said the ship is equipped to fight under nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) warfare conditions and that it is fitted with a modern surveillance radar that provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems.