1 / 7Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled the crest of INS Imphal, the third amongst the four Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyers, in New Delhi on November 28. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh was also present for the unveiling. (Image: Rajnath Singh/X)
2 / 7The crest, featuring the Kangla Palace on the left and and 'Kangla-Sa' on the right, pays homage to Manipur's role in India's independence, sovereignty, and security. Kangla Palace is an important historical and archaeological site of Manipur, while with a dragon’s head and lion’s body, the ‘c’ is a mythical being from Manipur history, is symbolic as the guardian/protector of its people, and is the state emblem of Manipur. (Image: Biren Singh/X)
3 / 7INS Imphal, designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), stands as a testament to indigenous shipbuilding and ranks among the world's most technologically advanced warships. (Image: Rajnath Singh/X)
4 / 7Delivered on October 20, 2023, the ship exhibits around 75% indigenous content, incorporating advanced weaponry from various Indian manufacturers such as Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (BEL, Bangalore), BrahMos Surface-to-Surface Missiles (BrahMos Aerospace, New Delhi), Indigenous Torpedo Tube Launchers (Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai), Anti-Submarine Indigenous Rocket Launchers (Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai), and 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (BHEL, Haridwar). (Image: Rajnath Singh/X)
5 / 7The keel of Imphal was laid on May 19, 2017, and the ship was launched on April 20, 2019. The vessel underwent a swift schedule of trials, including maiden sea trials on April 28, 2023, leading to its record-breaking delivery within six months. (Image: Bharat Bhushan Babu/X)
6 / 7As part of pre-commissioning trials, the ship successfully fired an Extended Range BrahMos missile, emphasising its technological prowess and contributing to the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative. The time taken to build Imphal and for her trials is the shortest for any indigenous destroyer. (Image: Bharat Bhushan Babu/X)
7 / 7As per maritime tradition and a naval custom, the Indian Navy named the warship after the historic city of Imphal. 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. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and other officials of Ministry of Defence and Manipur government were also present on the occasion. (Image: Rajnath Singh/X)
