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Indian Navy on Thursday commissioned highly maneuverable fast attack warship INS Karuva at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam with an objective to thwart asymmetric threats emanating from the sea.
The warship is capable of operating in shallow waters at high speeds and is fitted with enhanced fire power for day-night surveillance and is an extension of the efforts by the Indian Navy to step up vigil post the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes.
"The navy's importance had increased tremendously after the 26/11 terror attacks in protecting the security of the country. The newly commissioned warship (INS Karuva) will definitely strengthen the navy's ability in future," said Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command Air Marshal K J Mathews while commissioning the warship.
Named after an island situated in Kerala, the 325-tonne INS Karuva, measuring 52 meters, could achieve speed in excess of 30 knots. The warship had a complement of four officers and 39 sailors.
Built for extended coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol the warship is fitted with advanced MTU engines and latest communication sets and follows the footsteps of INS Koswari commissioned on July 12.
INS Karuva, indigenously built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, is the tenth such warship built by the GRSE, its Chief Managing Director Rear Admiral (Retd) K C Sekhar said.
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anup Singh said, Indian Navy has turned into "builders' navy from the buyers' navy" as it is now able to indigenously secure its vessels.
Karuva would be based at the naval establishment in Karwar under the naval officer-in-charge (Karnataka) and would be deployed for coastal patrol and anti-piracy operations along the Konkan coast and the Lakshadweep group of islands, he said.