Guwahati News Desk: The Indian Navy received its first-ever P15B stealth guided missile destroyer on Thursday.
The missile destroyer was being built at Mazgaon Dock Limited (MDL).
The Indian Navy tweeted, “Visakhapatnam – first of the indigenous P15B stealth guided-missile destroyers being built at Mazgaon Dock, Mumbai delivered to Indian Navy on October 28, 2021.”
However, the information about the navy receiving the gift was released through an official statement on Saturday.
The statement also said that the construction and delivery of this ship named, “Visakhapatnam” is another testament of the impetus given by the government and the Navy to the indigenous warship construction programmes.
According to sources, the contract for four ships of Project 15B, as the Visakhapatnam class ships were signed in January 2011. This project is a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers commissioned in the last decade.
Regarding the P15B guided-missile destroyer, it has the capability to launch guided anti-aircraft missiles from its deck.
According to an official statement, “Induction of the destroyer will not only enhance the combat readiness of Indian Navy but will also be a major leap forward towards our quest for Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).”
Furthermore, the induction of the destroyer, despite the Covid challenges, is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of a large number of stakeholders that aim to enhance the maritime prowess of the country in the Indian Ocean Region.
