Rajnath Singh unveils crest of India guided missile destroyer Imphal

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday unveiled the crest of Indian Navy's stealth guided missile destroyer Imphal that is equipped with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles and anti-submarine indigenous rocket launchers.

The ship was delivered to the Indian Navy on October 20 by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.

The crest unveiling ceremony in Delhi was graced by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar.

INS Imphal is the third of the four Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyers.

The crest design depicts the Kangla Palace on the left and 'Kangla-Sa' on the right.

The unveiling of Imphal's crest, adorned with the Kangla Palace and Kangla-Sa is a befitting tribute to the sacrifice made by the people of Manipur towards India's independence, sovereignty and security, the defence ministry said.

The Kangla Palace is an important historical and archaeological site of Manipur, and was the traditional seat of the past kingdom.

With a dragon's head and lion's body, the 'Kangla-Sa' is a mythical character from Manipur's history, and symbolises as the protector of its people.

'Kangla-Sa' is also the state emblem of Manipur.

A guided missile destroyer with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and overall length of 164 m, Imphal is a potent and versatile platform equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.

Powered by Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) propulsion, the ship is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/hour).

The ship boasts of a high indigenous content of approximately 75 per cent that includes BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, medium range surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine indigenous rocket launchers and 76mm super rapid gun mount.

"Designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Imphal is a hallmark of indigenous shipbuilding and is amongst the most technologically advanced warships in the world," the ministry said in a statement.

Imphal's keel was laid on May 19, 2017 and the ship was launched into water on April 20, 2019.

The ship had sailed out for her maiden sea trials on April 28, and has undergone a comprehensive schedule of trials in harbour and at sea, leading up to its delivery on October 20.

As part of the pre-commissioning trials, the ship recently carried out successful firing of an extended range BrahMos missile.

"The time taken to build Imphal and for her trials is the shortest for any indigenous destroyer. The delivery of the ship is an affirmation of the impetus towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," the ministry said.

It is a maritime tradition and a naval custom according to which many Indian Naval ships have been named after prominent cities, mountain ranges, rivers, ponds and islands.

"The Indian Navy is immensely proud of naming its latest and technologically most advanced warship after the historic city of Imphal," an Indian Navy spokesperson said.

"This is the first capital warship to be named after a city in the North-Eastern region, the approval for which was accorded by the President on April 16, 2019," he said.