On 22nd October 2020, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of Army Staff will commission the indigenously built ‘INS Kavaratti’ into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. ‘INS Kavaratti’ is the last of four indigenously-built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes under the ‘Project 28’.
The Indian Navy, in a statement, said, “Designed by Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, the ship portrays our growing capability in becoming self-reliant through indigenization.
Indigenously built ASW Corvette ‘Kavaratti’ to be Commissioned at #Visakhapatnam today 22 Oct 20 by General MM Naravane #COAS.#हरकामदेशकेनाम#AatmaNirbharBharat@SpokespersonMoD@adgpi @makeinindia @DefenceMinIndia @PMOIndiahttps://t.co/bsvnwW16IX pic.twitter.com/oGPfF3e66W
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) October 22, 2020
‘INS Kavaratti’ – the ‘Made in India’ warship
The name Kavaratti comes from erstwhile INS Kavaratti, which was an Arnala class missile corvette. The older Kavaratti played a vital role during Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971.
It is a ‘Made in India’ warship designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organization, Directorate of Naval Design(DND), and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
INS Kavaratti to be commissioned at Visakhapatnam today… pic.twitter.com/1xqBsICPaU
— All thing Indian Navy (@ThingNavy) October 22, 2020
It is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and a sensor suite capable of detecting and prosecuting submarines. ‘INS Kavaratti’ is also capable of self-defense. The weapons and sensors suite of the warship is predominantly indigenous. It has good endurance for long-range deployments.
With 90 percent indigenous content and use of carbon composites for the superstructure, it perfectly showcases the commendable feat achieved in Indian shipbuilding.
The ship will be commissioned into the Indian Navy as a combat-ready platform. It has already completed sea trials of all the installed systems onboard.
‘Kavaratti’ last of four indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes is all set to join #IndianNavy.
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) October 22, 2020
Designed by #IndianNavy‘s Directorate of Naval Design, the ship portrays the growing capability of the nation in becoming self-reliant through indigenization pic.twitter.com/Z3d0R9uloM
Importance of INS Kavaratti
The induction of ‘INS Kavaratti’ into the Indian Navy will enhance its preparedness amid ongoing tension with China. It showcases the growing capability of the Indian Navy, GRSE, and the nation in becoming self-reliant through indigenization. It is being touted as a significant step in India’s national objective of “Atmanirbhar Bharat”. The warship was delivered amid strict Covid-19 restrictions, which makes it a praiseworthy achievement in itself. INS Kavaratti is the fourth and last one of the Kamorta Class Stealth ASW Corvette. INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, and INS Kiltan have already been commissioned in the Indian Navy.
