Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth is scheduled to visit Visakhapatnam on December 18, to preside over the commissioning ceremony of INS Nirdeshak at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.
The ceremony will be hosted by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. Senior naval officials and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) representatives are expected to be present.
The ship, built at GRSE Kolkata, boasts over 80% indigenous content, reaffirming India’s expertise in ship design and construction and Indian Navy’s trust in Aatmanirbharta. The 110-meter-long vessel, with a displacement of approximately 3800 tons, is powered by two diesel engines and is equipped with state-of-the-art Hydrographic and Oceanographic Survey Equipment, according to a release issued on Tuesday.
INS Nirdeshak, the second ship of the Survey Vessel (Large) Project, is designed to conduct hydrographic surveys, aid in navigation, and support maritime operations. It represents the reincarnation of the erstwhile Nirdeshak, which served the Indian Navy with distinction for 32 years until its decommissioning on December 19, 2014.
With an endurance of over 25 days at sea and a top speed exceeding 18 knots, INS Nirdeshak is set to enhance India’s Maritime capabilities. It will play a pivotal role in mapping the nation’s waters and strengthening India’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean Region through its foreign cooperation surveys.
Published – December 10, 2024 04:32 pm IST
