Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is Mumbai to formally commission country's largest indigeniously-built warship INS Kolkata.
Here, we are giving you the live updates of his speech that he is delivering right now.
10:17 am: Narendra Modi begins speech
10:18 am: INS Kolkata is an example of intellect prowess of Indian engineers, technicians and security experts: Modi
10:18 am: This is the biggest indigenous 'Nirman Karya': Modi
10:19 am: I congratulate everyone associated with the project: Modi
10: 19 am: With commissioning of INS Kolkata, the strength of the Indian Navy will increase multifold: Modi
10:20 am: INS Kolkata is our largest indigenous warship: Modi
10: 21 am: Maritime security critical to global trade and commerce: Modi
10:22 am: When I talk about the Indian Navy, it is natural to remember Chhatrapati Shivaji: Modi
10:23 am: Chhatrapati Shivaji understood the importance of securing the seas for increasing trade: Modi
10:24 am: We dream to make India strong to export defence equipment to the world: Modi
10: 24 am: A day will come when India, what it imports today, will export to other nations: Modi
10: 25 am: In the Budget we have taken several steps for defence offsets: Modi
10: 26 am: We can guarantee no wars when our military is modern and superior: Modi
10: 27 am: The entire nation may not be in uniform but we stand firmly behind you & are proud of you: Modi
10:28 am: Modi concludes speech
ABOUT INS Kolkata
INS Kolkata is constructed by the Mazagon Dockyards Limited and has been designed by Navy's design bureau, defence officials said here.
The 6,800 tonne warship, which is over three years behind schedule, is a technology demonstrator and will showcase a giant leap in shipbuilding technology in the country, they said.
INS Kolkata will be a part of the Kolkata Class destroyers of the Indian Navy which will include follow-on ships by the name of INS Kochin and INS Chennai respectively.
The keel of the warship was laid down in September 2003 and the ship was launched in 2006.
Its original commissioning was planned in 2010 but due to several project, the government postponed to induct it.
As part of her pre-commissioning weapon trials at sea, INS Kolkata test-fired a BrahMos missile off Karwar's coast earlier this month.
India is also building an over 40,000 tonne Indigenous Aircraft Carrier christened INS Vikrant but it will take another three-four years before it gets inducted into the Navy.
Earlier, he had dedicating aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya to the nation. The INS Vikramaditya procured from Russia at the cost of over Rs 15,000 crore is so far the biggest vessel in the maritime force and is expected to hold this position for at least another decade.
