Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh launched two frontline warships of the Indian Navy, Surat and Udaygiri, at Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL), Mumbai on 17 May 2022. ‘Surat’ is the fourth guided missile destroyer of P15B class, while ‘Udaygiri’ is the second stealth frigate of P17A class. Both warships have been designed in-house by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built at MDL, Mumbai. The Raksha Mantri, in his address, described the warships as an embodiment of the Government’s unwavering commitment to enhance the country’s maritime capability, with focus on achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’, at a time when the world is witnessing disruption in global supply chain due to COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He congratulated the MDL for continued ship production activities despite the pandemic and meeting the strategic requirements of the Indian Navy in the current geo-political scenario. The Raksha Mantri lauded the Indian Navy for responsibly discharging its duties of keeping the Indo-Pacific region open, safe and secure. “The Indo-Pacific region is important for the economy of the whole world. India is a responsible maritime stakeholder in the region. We support consensus-based principles and peaceful, open, rule-based and stable maritime order. Being an important country in this region, it is the primary objective of our Navy to keep the Indo-Pacific open, safe and secure. The Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) is based on the spirit of friendship, openness, dialogue and co-existence with the neighbours. With that very vision, Indian Navy is effectively discharging its duties,” he said. Mr. Rajnath Singh appreciated the fact that the Indian Navy had always been at the forefront in ensuring self-reliance through manufacturing of indigenous ships, submarines etc. “Joining hands with initiatives like ‘Make in India’, Navy has given 76% Acceptance of Necessity (AON), and 66% cost-basis contracts to Indian vendors in 2014 and indigenisation of about 90% naval ammunition has taken place. In addition, more than two-thirds of the Navy’s Modernisation Budget has been spent on indigenous procurement in the last five financial years. Of the 41 ships and submarines ordered by the Navy, 39 are from Indian shipyards”. The Project 15B class of ships are the next-generation stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy, being built at the MDL, which are follow-on class of the weapon intensive P15A (Kolkata Class) destroyers. P17A frigates are warships that are follow-on class of the P17 (Shivalik Class) frigates with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
