The latest indigenous guided missile destroyer, ‘Surat,’ is scheduled to be unveiled in Surat on November 6, 2023, marking a momentous occasion for the Indian Navy.

Admiral R. Hari Kumar, the Chief of the Naval Staff, and Shri Bhupendra Patel, the Gujarati Chief Minister, will preside over the event.

The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, earlier unveiled this warship in Mumbai on March 17, 2022.

As part of the ‘Project 15B’ program, four state-of-the-art stealth-guided missile destroyers are being built, with the ‘Surat’ being the last and fourth vessel involved.

It is currently being developed at Mumbai’s Mazagon Docks Shipbuilders Ltd.

Since independence, the Indian Navy has grown from a modest fleet to a highly competent, unified, ready-for-combat, and resilient force.

There are about 130 surface warships in its fleet, and 67 more are being built.

This is the first time a warship has been named after a Gujarati city, which makes the ceremony one of a kind.

It is also the first time a warship’s crest unveiling has taken place in the city for which it is named.

Surat is historically significant because, from the 16th to the 18th century, it was a central marine commercial hub connecting India with other nations.

The ceremony, which the Gujarat Naval Area is arranging under the direction of the Western Naval Command, is scheduled for the evening of November 6, 2023, in Surat.

Rear Admiral Anil Jaggi, Flag Officer Commanding Gujarat Naval Area, and Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command, will attend the ceremony.

The fact that most warships are being built in Indian shipyards demonstrates the Indian Navy’s dedication to “Make in India” and “Atmanirbharta.”