Navy to commission latest missile destroyer INS 'Imphal' tomorrow

The Indian Navy is all set to commission its latest stealth Guided Missile Destroyer ‘Imphal’ tomorrow. The commissioning of the latest stealth guided missile destroyer is to take place at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be attending the commissioning ceremony as the chief guest. 

Noteworthy is that INS Imphal holds the distinction of being the largest and most advanced destroyer named after a city from the North-east.

The name Imphal, as per the Navy, has been given to commemorate the sacrifice of Manipur during India's freedom struggle.

“This is a befitting tribute to Manipur’s sacrifices and contributions in India’s freedom struggle, be it the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891; or Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s hoisting of the INA flag for the first time on 14 April 1944 at Moirang; or the pitched Battle of Imphal between British and Imperial Japanese forces, with Indians on both sides, that turned the tide of the Burma campaign and shaped the outcome of the Second World War and the new world order,” the Navy statement read.

Imphal is a syaye-of-the-art warship, designed by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazgaon Dock Limited. Built by Mazgaon Dock Limited, the ship boasts of significant contributions from public and private sectors, including MSMEs and DRDO.

It holds an impressive 75 per cent indigenous content, showcasing India's capability in warship construction.

Imphal was delivered to the Indian Navy on October 20 this year after trials. It successfully test-fired the extended-range supersonic BrahMos missile in November.