New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Wednesday hailed the recent delivery of the 100th indigenously-designed ship to the force as not just a numerical achievement for it but a “symbolic testament” in India’s journey towards maritime self-reliance, technological excellence and strategic foresight.
He said this in his keynote address, delivered virtually, at the “Shipbuilding Seminar on Nation Building Through Shipbuilding” hosted at the Manekshaw Centre here by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB).
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) brought out the Indian Navy’s Vision 2047 to transform it into an “Aatmanirbhar” force through a leadership-driven focus on “invention, innovation, indigenisation and integration of niche, disruptive and emerging technologies”, the Ministry of Defence said.
The seminar also commemorated the delivery of Y12652; (Udaygiri) on July 1 that marked a historic milestone as it was the 100th warship delivered to the nation by the Indian Navy and the Warship Design Bureau (WDB).
The Navy chief underscored the milestone as “not just a numerical achievement by the Navy but a symbolic testament in our journey towards maritime self-reliance, technological excellence and strategic foresight”.
The event brought together key stakeholders from the Centre, the Navy, shipyards, industry, classification societies and academia.
The WDB, a premier warship-design organisation under the Naval Headquarters in New Delhi, began its journey as the Central Design Office in 1964 to achieve self-sufficiency in warship design and evolved into the Directorate of Naval Design in 1970.
The seminar enabled effective interactions and fruitful brainstorming sessions with the senior hierarchy of the ministry, the Navy, shipyards and academia, among others.
The occasion also highlighted the design expertise at the WDB and an accumulated experience of more than 60 years in designing technologically-potent warships, spanning 20 designs and more than 100 vessels, it said.
In a separate statement, the ministry said the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, a tri-services think-tank under the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, is organising a two-day national seminar on “India’s Maritime Vision” in New Delhi on July 24-25.
The event is being conducted in collaboration with the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Ministry of Culture, with a focus on heritage, security and the vision for “Viksit Bharat by 2047”.
“The seminar is aligned with the vision of a ‘whole-of-nation’ approach, bringing together strategic, cultural, and developmental stakeholders to explore India’s evolving maritime narrative. The event reflects the synergy of defence, diplomacy, academia, industry and cultural institutions — a hallmark of comprehensive national power in the making,” it said in a statement.
The seminar is designed to explore India’s maritime journey — from its ancient seafaring traditions and historical port networks to contemporary maritime challenges and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific.
Its sessions will delve into strategic connectivity, maritime security, economic linkages, blue economy and the role of coastal infrastructure and governance in shaping India’s future, it said. PTI KND RC
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