Ins Mumbai, a guided missile destroyer, and INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette, were commissioned into the Indian Navy recently by the Governor of Maharashtra, Dr P C Alexander. Both the ships, designed in India and built at the Mazagaon Docks Ltd, Mumbai, have more than 70 per cent indigenous components.

The naming of the guided missile destroyer as INS Mumbai is a tribute to the port city and its people. The Indian Navy has also decided to affiliate INS Mumbai with the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army. This is in keeping with the renowned martial tradition and achievements of the Marathas.

INS Mumbai is the third of the "Delhi Class" of guided missile destroyers and represents the cutting edge of combatant technology in the country. The ship is one of the largest and most powerful battle ships built in this part of the globe and has a displacement of 6,700 tonnes. She is propelled to a maximum speed of 32 knots by four gas turbines (64,000 horsepower) and has a crew of 40 officers and 350 men. INS Mumbai has an immense firepower with a weapon package comprising surface-to-surface missiles, a battery of surface-to-air missiles, a 100 mm gun, four 30 mm Gatling guns, torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets and chaff decoys. In addition, she has a state-of-the-art sensor package of modern radars, sonars and electronic warfare suites.

The ship is capable of carrying two indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) onboard, providing the much needed "extended reach" to a modern surface combatant. These helicopters armed with missiles and torpedoes as well as sensitive sensor suites are formidable force multipliers. With her fine lines and proven seaworthiness synergising with the formidable weapon and sensor suites, INS Mumbai is a daunting adversary and lives up to her motto; I am invincible.

INS Mumbai is not the first ship to be named after one of the greatest maritime hubs of the world. The first warship to be named after the economic nerve centre of India, the Honourable Company’s ship Bombay was built at the Bombay Docks and commissioned by the then Governor of Bombay in 1739. The last of the Bombays was "HMIS Bombay’, a 733 ton-fleet minesweeper, commissioned in 1942, which was later renamed as "INS Bombay" on January 26, 1950 and served the nation till 1960.

INS Mumbai is commanded by Capt Sanjeev Bhasin, who is a specialist in navigation and aircraft direction.

INS Kirch is the second ship of the ‘Kora’ class of guided missile corvettes. This unique 1500-tonne corvette, embodying lethal cutting edge technology, has been designed in-house by the naval designers and outfitted by Mazagaon Docks Limited, Mumbai.

With her formidable offensive arsenal of surface-to-surface missiles and guns, Kirch is a lethal fighting unit. She has anti-air shoulder-launched missiles, chaff launchers for decoy and close-in weapon system with a tremendous rate of fire for her self-defence. The weapon package is supported by state-of-the-art sensors and an electronics warfare suite. This compact fighting machine also has the ability to operate the force multiplier ALH and the Chetak helicopters. Her sleek lines and low radar cross section provides her with the capability to penetrate deep into the enemy lines to deliver a lethal blow. Cdr Amar Kumar Mahadevan, who is also a specialist in navigation and aircraft direction, is the commissioning Commanding Officer of INS Kirch.