IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday expressed his gratitude for the Indian Navy’s new stealth destroyer – Imphal sailing out for sea trials.
“Symbolizing India’s growing prowess under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the stealth destroyer, INS Imphal, has commenced sea trials,” Manipur CM wrote on his Twitter post.
“Named after the capital of Manipur, this warship is #IndianNavy’s largest & most advanced guided missile destroyer,” the CM further added in his Twitter post.
Indian Navy’s third indigenous state-of-the-art stealth destroyer ‘Imphal’ will have the unique distinction of being the largest and most advanced destroyer to be ever named after a city from the Northeast and thus it would be a befitting symbol of the growing importance and contribution of the northeastern region and the state of Manipur towards national security and development, the Chief Minister said.
‘Imphal’ scheduled to be commissioned later this year, undertook her maiden sea sortie on Friday, as per information provided by the Defence Ministry.
The warship is designed in-house by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and was constructed by Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), Mumbai.
It incorporates several niche technologies with high indigenous content.
It stands proud testimony to the Indian Navy’s thrust on the national vision of ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ and Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
This stealth will add significantly to the Indian Navy’s combat capabilities.
‘Imphal’ came after the recent commissioning of her predecessor INS Mormugao in December, 2022 and the fifth Project 75 submarine INS Vagir in January, 2023.
The officials said that the commencement of sea trials by ‘Imphal’ is yet another important milestone in MDL’s continued contribution towards building a strong, modern, and self-reliant India.