'Atma Nirbhar' boost! Locally-built INS Kavaratti to be commissioned into Navy today

General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of the Army Staff, will commission the last of four indigenously-built anti-submarine warfare stealth corvettes 'INS Kavaratti' into the Indian Navy at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. Touted as a potent Stealth ASW Corvette, Kavaratti is indigenously designed by the Indian Navy's in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

The commissioning of the ASW Corvette is a step in the direction of becoming self-reliant through indigenisation on the lines of the government's 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat'. The warfare ship has up to 90 per cent indigenous content. The use of carbon composites used in the superstructure is a big boost for the Indian shipbuilding. The ship's weapons and sensors suite is also predominantly indigenous.

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All you need to know about INS Kavaratti:

• Kavaratti takes its name from erstwhile 'INS Kavaratti', which was an Arnala class missile corvette. The older Kavaratti distinguished itself by operating in support of was Bangladesh's liberation in 1971.
• Kavaratti has a state-of-the-art weapons and sensor suite, which is capable of detecting and prosecuting submarines
• In addition to its anti-submarine warfare capability, the ship also has a credible self-defence capability and good endurance for long-range deployments.
• The warfare ship will be commissioned into the Navy as a combat-ready platform as the ship has completed sea trials of all the systems fitted onboard.
• The ship was able to complete all the trials amid restrictions imposed due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
• With the induction of Kavaratti into its fold, the Indian Navy's preparedness will get a significant boost.

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